Following a 0–0 draw between TÜMOSAN Konyaspor and RAMS Başakşehir in the Trendyol Süper Lig, Başakşehir manager Nuri Şahin found himself at the center of a tense exchange during the post-match press conference on matchday seven. A journalist questioned the manager about his team’s early exit from European competition last season, framing the qualification route through Trabzonspor’s Turkish Cup triumph as a matter of divine justice.
The pointed question immediately raised the temperature inside the press room at Konya Büyükşehir Stadium, according to reporting. As the room fell silent, the journalist asked Şahin whether Trabzonspor’s victory over Konyaspor in the cup final—which indirectly secured Başakşehir’s spot in Europe—followed by a swift elimination in the opening qualifying round, could be described as divine justice.
Şahin registered immediate visible surprise at the framing of the query. Despite an initial intervention from the Başakşehir press officer, who registered a sharp objection to the line of questioning, the manager chose to address the remark directly rather than bypass it. He acknowledged the sporting disappointment of failing to advance in Europe while firmly defending his club’s right to participate based on their league standing.
“If we look at this year, we couldn’t bring points to our country,” Şahin said during the press conference. “It was a process that did not suit us. We were eliminated in the first round. We experienced both the sadness and the necessity of this, but we are looking ahead.”
Addressing the specific premise of the question, the Başakşehir coach rejected any notion that his team’s presence in continental competition required an apology. It was noted that Şahin emphasized the sporting merit behind the qualification, pointing directly to the club’s domestic finish from the previous campaign.
“If we, as Başakşehir, finished the season in fifth place, and if Trabzonspor carried us to Europe because they won the cup, I am not going to apologize for that,” Şahin stated. “There is nothing about justice in this. My respect for Konyaspor and coach İlhan is infinite, but we finished fifth in the league last year.”
The Domestic Standings and European Ambitions
Başakşehir secured a fifth-place finish in the Süper Lig standings, earning a European berth when Trabzonspor subsequently claimed the Turkish Cup. However, the club’s campaign ended abruptly in the preliminary rounds, a shortcoming that Şahin did not attempt to minimize.
The manager outlined his objectives for the current domestic season, expressing determination to return to continental competition through direct merit rather than relying on secondary tournament outcomes. Şahin reiterated his commitment to raising Turkey’s UEFA coefficient if given another opportunity on the European stage.
“We want to do our best this year and go to Europe again,” Şahin said. “If we go again, I hope I will be before you as a Nuri Şahin and a Başakşehir that have contributed greatly to the country’s points. There is no need to get into polemics on these issues. ‘Divine justice’ was a bit heavy. Let’s close it this way, in a sweet way if you want.”
Public Reaction and Social Media Fallout
The exchange quickly circulated across digital platforms, drawing widespread attention from Turkish football supporters. Social media users heavily criticized the journalist for the phrasing of the question, arguing that the line of inquiry crossed standard journalistic boundaries by introducing theological concepts into a post-match sporting evaluation.
,autocrop(1200:630))
