İsmail Kartal apologizes after derby defeat: “The responsibility is mine and my staff’s”

İsmail Kartal apologized to Fenerbahçe supporters after his team surrendered a lead and lost 2-1 to Beşiktaş in the fourth week of the Trendyol Süper Lig.

The defeat marked Fenerbahçe’s second loss in the league’s first four weeks. Speaking to beIN SPORTS after the derby, Kartal said the team had failed to meet expectations and had upset its fans.

“

We failed to meet expectations. We upset our supporters. All the responsibility is mine and my staff’s. We did not expect this either. We are sorry to have lost and are looking ahead.

“The responsibility is mine and my staff’s,” Kartal said. He added that the result had also surprised the team and that they were sorry to have lost.

Kartal attributed the performance to shortcomings in midfield. Fenerbahçe fell behind Beşiktaş in pressing according to the opponent, he said, and needed to keep possession more effectively. When the team failed to hold the ball, it allowed Beşiktaş to create chances. Kartal again apologized to the supporters and said the team would look ahead.

“

We fell a little short of the opponent in our pressing in midfield. We needed to have possession. When we could not have enough possession, we gave up chances. All the responsibility is mine. We apologize to our supporters.