Adana Demirspor’s players abandoned the pitch in the first half after conceding a controversial penalty to Galatasaray

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In a shocking turn of events in the Turkish Super Lig, players of Adana Demirspor walked off the pitch in protest during their match against Victor Osimhen’s team, Galatasaray, citing contentious refereeing decisions.

The incident occurred during the match at Rams Park Stadium, which Galatasaray was leading 1-0 after a 12th-minute penalty converted by Alvaro Morata. That was after Dries Mertens was adjudged to have been fouled by Semih Guler, but replays suggested he went down with minimal contact, with heated debates on the legitimacy of the decision.

Following another disputed decision in the 30-minute mark in the first half, head coach of Adana Demirspor Mustafa Alper Avci urged his players to retire into the locker room. The referee Oguzhan Cakir later called off the game after a delay of 20 minutes. The incident is expected to be deliberated upon by the Turkish Football Federation to decide upon the outcome.

Later, former Adana Demirspor president Metin Korkmaz explained that the protest was against the refereeing and not Galatasaray. He said, “This is a protest against the Refereeing Committee, not Galatasaray.”

The penalty given was received skeptically by Galatasaray’s manager Okan Buruk: “In my opinion, it was more probable that it wasn’t a penalty.” Further, he said, “This is not the first mistake made against Adana Demirspor. I don’t believe this was an innocent, spontaneous decision.”

Fenerbahce’s head coach Jose Mourinho commented on the controversy. He took to Instagram, posting a clip of the incident as he continued to highlight his ongoing concerns about refereeing standards in the league. Mourinho has been vocal in his criticism of officiating in the Turkish Super Lig, previously describing the league environment as “toxic” and showing frustration over decisions he believes have favored Galatasaray.

This incident illustrates the growing tension over officiating in Turkish football. While the Turkish Football Federation considers what to do, football waits for an act that will both address the situation raised and uphold the integrity of the sport.