Fenerbahçe fans cheer for Putin after Dynamo Kyiv goal
Photo: AA
Click to read the article in Turkish
Fenerbahçe, one of the "big three" football teams in Turkey, was eliminated from the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round after losing 2-1 to Ukraine's Dynamo Kyiv on its home turf.
After Dynamo Kyiv's first goal, many of the fans in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium chanted the name of Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia.
Fenerbahçe fans chanting “Vladimir Putin” after a Dynamo Kyiv player celebrated scoring in this #UCL qualifier.
— Nico Cantor (@Nicocantor1) July 27, 2022
Absolutely tasteless pic.twitter.com/NocU0MTpbk
The manager of the Kyiv team, Mircea Lucescu, who also had two stints with Türkiye's other two big clubs, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş, in the early 2000s, refused to attend the press conference in protest of the fans' behavior.
"I wouldn't expect such chants, it's a shame," he told reporters after the game.
Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey, Vasyl Bodnar, denounced the incident on Twitter.
"It is very sad to hear the words of support from the Fenerbahçe fans for the Russian killer and aggressor who bombs our country," he wrote. "I appreciate the friendly Turkish people's support for Ukraine and their assessment of the inappropriate actions of the fans."
Fenerbahçe have yet to make a statement about the issue. (TY/VK)