Besiktas fans protest team following 3-1 defeat against Israel’s Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Besiktas supporters gathered at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport early Friday to protest the team following a 3-1 loss to Israel’s Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the UEFA Europa League.

The match, played in Hungary’s Debrecen, marked the fifth group-stage game for the Istanbul club, which now faces mounting criticism from fans disappointed with recent performances.

Approximately 100 fans congregated outside the airport’s General Aviation Terminal, chanting slogans against the team’s management, coaching staff, and players. Security forces implemented heightened measures at the terminal to prevent any escalation.

After the team’s chartered flight landed, Besiktas Vice President Mete Vardar, Football Branch Manager and Spokesperson Feyyaz Ucar, assistant coach Serdar Topraktepe, and players Necip Uysal, Salih Ucan, and Ersin Destanoglu approached the protesting crowd.

Addressing the supporters, Vardar expressed the team’s regret and acknowledged the validity of the fans’ frustrations. Ucar assured them of swift action, stating, “Starting tomorrow, we will do whatever is necessary.”

Fans also directed their ire at head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst, calling for his resignation through chants and banners.

The loss has intensified scrutiny on Besiktas, which has struggled to meet expectations in European competition this season.