Turkish journalist and longtime Galatasaray commentator Haluk Yürekli has issued an urgent demand: the April 26 derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe must not be officiated by a Turkish referee.
Citing a deep-seated distrust in domestic officiating, particularly in high-stakes matches, Yürekli warned that Galatasaray would face an unfair outcome if a Turkish official takes charge.
His call follows the highly controversial Fenerbahçe Beşiktaş derby on April 5, which Fenerbahçe won 1-0 thanks to a penalty awarded in the 90+11’ minute. Referee Yasin Kol’s decision, involving a challenge on Dörgeles Nene, flared fierce criticism from Beşiktaş and pundits.
“I’m shouting it one more time: the Galatasaray–Fenerbahçe derby on April 26 should not be officiated by a Turkish referee,” Yürekli said. “If you don’t want a foreign referee, what happened to Beşiktaş today will happen to Galatasaray on April 26.” He added.