Trabzonspor Rejects Fatih Tekke's Resignation After Europa League Exit

Trabzonspor have turned down head coach Fatih Tekke’s resignation after a bruising Europa League exit, insisting the decision was made in the heat of the moment.

Tekke offered to walk away on Thursday night after his side were thrashed 4-0 by Ferencvaros in Hungary, a result that sealed a 5-0 aggregate defeat in the play-off round. For a club that spent the summer parading marquee arrivals, the manner of the collapse cut deep.

By Friday morning, though, the hierarchy had made their move. Trabzonspor announced they had rejected the 48-year-old’s offer, describing his resignation as an “emotional” reaction to the shock of going out of Europe.

This is the same Tekke who steered Trabzonspor to third place in the Super Lig last season, restoring a sense of momentum and convincing the board to back him heavily in the transfer market. They did exactly that.

The club stunned Europe by signing Mohamed Salah, a Premier League and Champions League winner and one of Liverpool’s greatest ever forwards. Fabinho, another Premier League title winner, also arrived, while Andre Onana returned on loan from Manchester United to add further star power.

Salah, 34, chose Trabzonspor last month after mutually agreeing to terminate his Liverpool contract at the end of last season. His numbers at Anfield were historic: 257 goals in 442 appearances after joining from Roma in 2017, leaving him behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts.

He wasted little time making an impact in his new colours. On Saturday, he struck twice in a 2-1 win over Istanbul Basaksehir, a performance that seemed to signal a new era and fuel belief that Trabzonspor could carry their domestic resurgence onto the European stage.

Instead, the Ferencvaros defeat has abruptly changed the mood. The club will now drop into the Europa Conference League, where they will discover their six league-phase opponents on Friday.

For Tekke, the message from the board is clear: this project, and this squad, remain his to lead. The question now is whether a coach who tried to resign in the aftermath of a 5-0 aggregate loss can turn that emotional low into the spark for a season that still carries enormous expectations.