- Two senior players refused to play in Fenerbahce’s final game of the season
- It ends what has been a turbulent first season for Jose Mourinho in Turkey
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Two former Premier League stars refused to play for Jose Mourinho in Fenerbahce’s final game of the season on Saturday.
Fenerbahce faced Konyaspor at home in their last league game having secured second place in the table after failing to mount a significant challenge to Galatasaray in the title race.
But two of their senior players missed the game, and it has now emerged that they made themselves unavailable to play.
Edin Dzeko and Dusan Tadic were due to be given commemorative plaques after announcing that they will leave the club this summer, but they decided they did not want a ceremony at the stadium due to fears over fan unrest.
Fenerbahce supporters showed their anger towards their players following a match earlier this month, and there were concerns the same could happen again on Saturday.
Instead, Dzeko and Tadic opted to say their goodbyes in the training ground kitchen.
Edin Dzeko (left) and Dusan Tadic (centre) refused to play on Saturday as they picked up commemorative plaques in the Fenerbahce training ground kitchen
Dzeko and Tadic refused to play in the last match of the season due to concerns over fan unrest
Mourinho’s first season in Turkey ended in anger as two senior players left without featuring in the final game
The ceremony was attended by their team-mates, club president Ali Koc and vice-president Acun Ilicali.
Sporting director Mario Branco and four coaches from manager Mourinho’s team also bid farewell ahead of leaving the club this summer.
Galatasaray held their own farewell ceremony at their stadium for departing stars Fernando Muslera and Dries Mertens on Saturday, leading to Fenerbahce fans reacting angrily to not getting the chance to say their own goodbyes to Dzeko and Tadic.
Tadic subsequently released a statement to explain why he and Dzeko had not turned up to the stadium for the final game. The statement read: ‘It was a decision we made together with Dzeko not to play in the last match. We didn’t want to damage Fenerbahce’s image.
‘The fans have always supported us. The way he said goodbye is not a problem for me. I would have preferred it to be in the stadium, but the ambiance is not very good at the moment. That’s why it’s better to be that way.’
Fenerbahce beat Konyaspor 2-1 as they finished the season on 84 points, 11 adrift of Galatasaray.
They end the campaign trophyless, while also waving goodbye to Dzeko and Tadic.
Dzeko, who previously played 189 matches for Manchester City, finishes with 46 goals in 99 games for Fenerbahce.
Mourinho was accused of making racist comments earlier this season when he said Galatasaray players were ‘jumping like monkeys’
Mourinho pinched the nose of Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk after the Istanbul derby in April
Ex-Southampton and Ajax forward Tadic scored 29 goals in 109 appearances for Fenerbahce.
Dzeko and Tadic failing to make a farewell appearance ends what has been a turbulent first season in Turkey for Mourinho.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss was accused of making racist comments earlier this season after he claimed Galatasaray players were ‘jumping like monkeys’ when appealing for decisions to go in their favour.
Mourinho denied the allegations, and Fenerbahce launched a lawsuit against Galatasaray as they leapt to their manager’s defence.
Mourinho was then hit with a three-match ban for pinching the nose of Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk following a feisty Istanbul derby in April.
Earlier this week, Mourinho lashed out at Turkish reporters after his team were beaten 4-2 by relegation contenders Hatayspor.
The Portuguese boss said: ‘In the last seven years, I have played in two European finals. So in the past seven years I have played more European finals than the history of Turkish football together.’
The 62-year-old may be proud of his past achievements, but it has been a difficult first season for him in a new country, and now he must prepare for life without Dzeko and Tadic following their abrupt departures.
