Fenerbahçe chief Saran calls early elections after derby disaster
Baku, April 28, AZERTAC
Fenerbahçe have plunged into fresh turmoil after a disastrous run of results – capped by a heavy defeat to title rivals Galatasaray on Sunday – triggered the sacking of the manager and a shock decision by club president Sadettin Saran to call early elections and announce he will not run again, the Daily Sabah reported.
Saran announced in an address to the community that an extraordinary elective general assembly has been scheduled for June 6-7, adding that he will not be a candidate.
"We knew this community no longer needed to wait, but to stand up," he said, noting they had worked day and night toward the championship target but had not reached the desired level.
He added that the decision not to postpone the elections was deliberate: "Throughout the season, we postponed some decisions so as not to harm our title challenge. But it is clear that we cannot delay this process any further."
Saran stressed that the presidency is not a personal power struggle and said: "The presidency of Fenerbahçe is not a field where every means is permissible in order to win," he said, underlining that the office "requires responsibility" and that "leaving the seat when the time comes is as much a virtue as taking it."
He also called for unity in the club during this difficult period. "Fenerbahçe is not the property of individuals, but the common value of the entire community," he said, warning that internal disputes damage the club. "Fighting for this chair has no benefit to Fenerbahçe. What matters is Fenerbahçe itself."
Saran concluded by promising to support the club even after handing over his duties, ending his statement with: "Long live Fenerbahçe."
Saran’s decision comes against the backdrop of a brutal week on the pitch. Fenerbahçe were convincingly beaten 3-0 by Galatasaray at RAMS Park Sunday, a result that effectively killed their title hopes and handed their fiercest rivals a near decisive advantage in the Süper Lig race.
Galatasaray’s win pushed them seven points clear with three matches remaining, leaving Fenerbahçe needing a miracle to stay in contention. The manner of the defeat – a flat performance in a must win derby, following a season of inconsistency – provoked fury among supporters and intensified pressure on the technical staff.
Within 24 hours, Fenerbahçe’s head coach was dismissed, with club insiders and local media linking the sacking directly to the Galatasaray collapse and the broader failure to meet championship expectations. The derby loss crystallized a sense that the project had stalled, despite heavy investment and public promises.
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