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The championship race in the Turkish Super Lig intensified in Week 15, as reigning champion and current leader Galatasaray opened a three-point gap over archrival Fenerbahce with a 3-2 win against Samsunspor marked by a disputed unawarded penalty, followed by Fenerbahce’s draw with Istanbul Basaksehir the next day.
The controversial incident occurred on Friday during the match hosted by Galatasaray, when Samsunspor appealed for a penalty in the 90+7th minute after Emre Kilinc's cross struck Kazimcan Karatas’s hand in the box. Following a two-minute VAR review, referee Mehmet Turkmen ruled no penalty and resumed play with a goal kick, asserting that Karatas’s hand was in a natural position while sprinting.
The final whistle blew immediately after, sealing Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory and sparking backlash from Super Lig teams, particularly Fenerbahce and Samsunspor.
After the match, Samsunspor President Robert Yuksel Yildirim expressed sharp criticism of the refereeing, stating that the team had been denied a clear opportunity to take a point from the match.
"The referee clearly saw the foul. We waited four minutes for a VAR review, and then came an unbelievable decision," Yildirim said. He added that the outcome amounted to the loss of one point and declared the day a "Black Friday" for Turkish football.
Fenerbahce President Sadettin Saran also raised concerns regarding refereeing standards, citing the events of the Galatasaray-Samsunspor match as troubling. Speaking ahead of the Basaksehir fixture on Saturday, he stated that while the club had sought to remain silent on such issues, it could no longer do so.
Saran said officials from the club had met with representatives of the Turkish Football Federation and conveyed their discontent, expressing confidence that the federation president would take necessary steps upon his return.
Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu hit back strongly at referee Turkmen’s decision, criticizing the situation in harsh terms. He implied that those responsible were acting without restraint or accountability, suggesting that the absence of oversight had emboldened them. "I will hold everyone accountable, and I will take the necessary steps," Turkish football's chief stated.
On Saturday, Fenerbahce faced Basaksehir at Fatih Terim Stadium in Istanbul. Despite dominating the early stages, the visitors were affected by the early injury of Semedo in the 20th minute, which disrupted their attacking rhythm.
The match remained goalless at halftime, but Fenerbahce broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute with a goal from Milan Skriniar. However, the team missed a clear opportunity to double the lead shortly after and struggled to contain Basaksehir’s pressure in the closing stages.
The home side equalized in the 80th minute through Bertug Yıldırım, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
With the result, Fenerbahce increased its total to 33 points but failed to prevent Galatasaray from creating a three-point cushion at the top.
Galatasaray and Fenerbahce will compete in European competitions this week, with the Yellow-Reds facing French side Monaco away on Tuesday, and the Yellow-Navy Blues taking on Norway’s Brann in an away UEFA Europa League match.
Afterwards, Galatasaray will visit Antalyaspor on Saturday in Week 16 of the Süper Lig, while Fenerbahce will host Konyaspor at home.
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