Trabzonspor keep faith with Fatih Tekke after Europa exit

Trabzonspor’s attempt to launch the season with a strong European run has instead brought an early crisis, with the Turkish side eliminated from the Europa League by Ferencvaros and their head coach Fatih Tekke offering to resign in the aftermath. In a notable twist, the club’s board rejected that resignation and confirmed he will remain in charge.

European hopes unravel against Ferencvaros

There had been significant expectation around Trabzonspor before the campaign, not least because Mohamed Salah arrived ahead of the new season. But that high-profile addition did not translate into progress in Europe, where the Turkish club’s qualifying campaign ended at the first hurdle.

Trabzonspor, who finished third in last season’s Super Lig, faced Ferencvaros in a single Europa League qualifying tie. The damage began with a home defeat in the first leg, leaving them with work to do in Hungary. Instead of mounting a comeback, they suffered a much heavier loss in the return match and went out 0:5 on aggregate.

A key moment came early in the second leg when Ruslan Malinovskyi was sent off in the 13th minute. From that point, Trabzonspor’s performance deteriorated badly, and the tie slipped away in emphatic fashion.

Tekke takes responsibility

Speaking after the defeat, Tekke described it as a painful night for both the club and the country. He said the match had appeared to be moving in a positive direction until the red card changed everything, and he accepted responsibility for the failure to reach the Europa League.

The 48-year-old, who has been in charge of Trabzonspor since March 2025, announced that he was stepping down after what he described as an 18-month spell of intense work alongside his staff. He said he felt he had the right to punish himself for the result.

Tekke also revealed that he had made the announcement publicly before informing the club hierarchy directly, admitting that nobody at the club had known beforehand and asking for forgiveness.

Board rejects resignation

Trabzonspor’s response arrived later, and it was not the one many would have expected after such a damaging European exit. In a statement posted during the night on X, the club said Tekke had made the decision under the weight of emotion following the loss to Ferencvaros.

The board chose not to accept his resignation, confirming instead that Tekke would continue as head coach and lead the team in the upcoming league match against Amedspor.

What comes next for Trabzonspor

The elimination means Trabzonspor now drop into the Conference League rather than the Europa League, a clear setback for a club that had hoped to make a stronger continental impact.

Even so, the board’s decision suggests there is still belief in Tekke’s broader body of work. Across 61 matches in all competitions, he has recorded 35 wins, 14 draws and 12 defeats. Domestically, Trabzonspor sit fourth in the Super Lig with four points from two matches.

For now, the immediate pressure has not cost Tekke his job. But after a bruising defeat and a failed Europa League push, the scrutiny on Trabzonspor’s next steps will only intensify.