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Football

17th Aug 2021

Galatasaray player sent off for punching his own teammate

Marcão went full Lee Bowyer / Kieron Dyer as he started swinging at his teammate during Galatasaray's 2-0 win over Giresunspor

Reuben Pinder

He went full Lee Bowyer, never go full Lee Bowyer

Galatasaray defender Marcão was sent off during the team’s 2-0 win over Giresunspor on Monday night after he attacked his own teammate, swinging punches Kerem Akturkoglu.

The Turkish Super Lig has long had a reputation for tense atmospheres, producing chaos both on the pitch and in the stands, but a fight between two teammates is one hell of a way to kick off the season.

I say a fight between two players, but Akturkoglu did not react to Marcão’s aggression, ensuring that Gala did not go down to nine men as a result of the scrap, as happened all those years ago when Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer started throwing hands while both playing for Newcastle United.

https://twitter.com/panenkavideo/status/1427367781364867081

After the game, Gala manager Fatih Terim seemed quite sympathetic to the impulsive actions of his defender, but clarified the matter will be resolved in private.

“I say it for all of us, for the football world. We have all kinds of arguments in the locker room, on the field,” he said.

“From time to time, we come to the point of attacking each other, but I was the first to say such a thing to a teammate on the field. I see it many times. I don’t understand what’s going on yet…

“Kerem is young and our precious. We do not allow anyone to do anything to anyone. Such actions can happen in football.

“These happen at practice in the locker room, but are quickly resolved. However, this was not pleasant. The solution is ours. We’ll figure it out somehow.”