Trabzonspor have declined to accept the resignation submitted by head coach Fatih Tekke following the Turkish club's elimination from the Europa League on Thursday night. The Super Lig side suffered a devastating 4-0 defeat to Ferencvaros in Budapest, losing the play-off tie 5-0 on aggregate after a 1-0 first-leg loss in Trabzon.
Tekke, who had been in charge since March 2025 and guided Trabzonspor to third place in the league last season, tendered his resignation immediately after the defeat. However, the club's board rejected his decision on Friday morning, attributing it to the
"intense emotional impact"of the Europa League exit. According to reports from Turkish media, Tekke described the resignation as his own punishment after
"a very sad night"and characterised it as his right after 18 months in the position.
The first leg in Trabzon had already proved difficult for Trabzonspor, with Kristoffer Zachariassen scoring the only goal for Ferencvaros. The second leg in Hungary proved far more damaging, as Ruslan Malinovskyi and Sidny Lopes Cabral were among the scorers in the comprehensive defeat.
What happens next for Trabzonspor?
Despite the Europa League elimination, Trabzonspor will compete in the UEFA Conference League this season. The club was set to discover its six league-phase opponents on Friday, with Amedspor scheduled as their next domestic fixture on 31 August 2026.
Salah and summer signings
Trabzonspor have made significant moves in the transfer market this summer, securing high-profile additions to strengthen their squad. The seven-time Turkish champions signed Mohamed Salah and Fabinho, both former Premier League winners, while Andre Onana rejoined the club on loan from Manchester United.
Salah, aged 34, made a surprising decision to join Trabzonspor last month after reaching a mutual agreement to end his Liverpool contract. The Egypt international is the third-highest scorer in Liverpool's history, having netted 257 goals in 442 appearances since his 2017 move from Roma. He has already made an impact at his new club, scoring twice in a 2-1 victory against Istanbul Basaksehir on Saturday.
