Konyaspor accuses referee of favoring Galatasaray amid match-fixing allegations
Dries Mertens (10) of Galatasaray talks to referee Halil Umut Meler during the Turkish Super Lig week 21 match between Galatasaray and TUMOSAN Konyaspor at RAMS Park in Istanbul, Turkiye on January 25, 2025. (AA Photo)
In the 21st week of the Turkish Super Lig, Galatasaray triumphed over Konyaspor with a 1-0 victory. However, the match was overshadowed by controversy, as Konyaspor’s Head Coach Recep Ucar and President Omer Korkmaz criticized the referee, Halil Umut Meler, for his decisions throughout the match.
Fenerbahce President Ali Koc had previously accused Galatasaray of match-fixing, and Konyaspor’s officials voiced similar concerns after this game, accusing the referees of protecting Galatasaray with questionable decisions
Konyaspor head coach Recep Ucar discusses match
After the game, Konyaspor’s Head Coach Recep Ucar addressed the performance of both his team and the referee. He praised his team’s effort but voiced concerns about the officiating, claiming that the referee’s decisions had a significant impact on the match.
“Galatasaray is a very strong team,” Ucar stated, recognizing the individual talents of players like Mertens, Baris, Osimhen, and Yunus. However, Ucar also expressed frustration with the officiating, saying that the referee’s decisions were problematic. “We tried to play our game, but the decisions made by the referee were frustrating,” he added.
Ucar critiques referee Halil Umut Meler’s performance
Ucar criticized Halil Umut Meler for awarding a penalty to Galatasaray in the 22nd minute after Konyaspor’s Adil Demirbag fouled Osimhen. According to Ucar, Meler’s decisions in the match were unfair, and other instances should have resulted in red cards for Galatasaray players. He specifically mentioned a challenge by Galatasaray’s Torreira on Konyaspor’s Ogulcan, which Ucar felt warranted a yellow card.
“The referee worked hard to keep Ahmed Kutucu on the field despite a clear red card situation,” Ucar said, referring to an incident involving Konyaspor’s Ahmed Kutucu, which he believed should have resulted in a sending-off.
Konyaspor reacts with social media post: ‘Someone else benefitted’
Following the match, Konyaspor’s official social media account shared a video highlighting several controversial decisions made by the referee. The video was accompanied by the caption “Once again, someone else benefitted,” a clear reference to what Konyaspor perceived as biased decisions in favor of Galatasaray. The post stirred further debate about the fairness of officiating.
Konyaspor president Omer Korkmaz speaks out
Konyaspor President Omer Korkmaz also expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee’s performance. “We want to play football, but we don’t want to lose because of referee decisions,” Korkmaz said. He emphasized that his team was committed to playing fair football but felt that the referee’s decisions undermined their efforts. “We want a fair match, and today’s decisions made that difficult,” Korkmaz concluded.
Harsh critique from the commentator
Sporting commentator Ahmet Cakar also weighed in on the match, offering his thoughts on the referee’s decisions.
Cakar did not hold back in his criticism of referee Halil Umut Meler. “The referee was very poor. It was as though he had forgotten how to referee. The penalty was awarded with VAR assistance, and there were two clear yellow card fouls on Torreira that the referee ignored.”
He also added, “Salai’s foul on Konyaspor’s Yusuf Erdogan should have resulted in a red card, but the referee failed to act. This match is another example where referee decisions had an influence on the result.”
Call for fairer officiating in Turkish football
Both Konyaspor’s president and coach called for better officiating standards in Turkish football. “We want a fair match, not decisions that favor one team over the other,” Korkmaz concluded, stressing the importance of fair and transparent refereeing to ensure a competitive environment for all teams.
As the match ended, Konyaspor’s frustration with the referee’s performance was clear, continuing to fuel the ongoing debate over the fairness of officiating in Turkish football, with many believing that referees are consistently protecting Galatasaray.
Halil Umut Meler’s controversial past
In addition to the domestic controversies, Halil Umut Meler’s refereeing has attracted international attention. In a match between Al Shabab and Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Meler’s decisions were met with criticism from both teams.
Al Shabab’s coach, Vitor Pereira, expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, “Halil Umut Meler was not fair. The red card was wrong. He only gave yellow cards to us. We played very well, but the referee changed the course of the game.”
In response to the criticism, the President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Referee Committee, Manuel Navarro, announced that Meler would not be assigned to officiate any future matches in Saudi Arabia.
“If a referee makes serious mistakes in a match, we will not deal with him again. We will not call Halil Umut Meler to our matches. There were errors that affected the result in the match between Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab,” he stated.
