Galatasaray captain Kerem Akturkoglu stripped of captaincy
Kerem Akturkoglu (7) of Galatasaray celebrate after scoring a goal during Turkish Super Lig 2nd week football match between TUMOSAN Konyaspor and Galatasaray, Konya, August 17, 2024. (AA Photo)
Galatasaray’s season began with a 5-0 defeat to Besiktas in the Turkish Super Cup final and continued with a setback in the Champions League playoff, losing 3-2 to Switzerland’s Young Boys. The match against Young Boys revealed that Kerem Akturkoglu had been removed from his captaincy role.
Despite winning their first two Super Lig matches, Galatasaray faced criticism over their performance. The team’s disappointing first-half showing in the Young Boys match, trailing 2-0, drew significant criticism. Following the game, it was revealed that Akturkoglu’s captaincy had been revoked.
During the Swiss away game, the captain’s armband was first passed to Mauro Icardi after goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was injured, and later to Berkan Kutlu.
Akturkoglu addressed the issue on social media, stating, “I have strived to fulfill the captaincy role to the best of my ability and to carry this title with honor. Even without the captain’s armband, I will continue to take initiative on and off the field as needed.”
Akturkoglu removal from the captaincy followed his comment, “One day we will talk,” made after the Konyaspor match, which was interpreted by the management as a critique of the administration.
Additionally, there are claims that Galatasaray’s management, pleased with a transfer offer from Spartak Moscow for Akturkoglu, used his captaincy revocation as a means to pressure him into accepting the Russian club’s offer.
