Sports

Trabzonspor Reject Tekke’s Resignation After Europa League Exit, Salah Vows To Bounce Back

Published August 28, 2026 at 6:42 PM

Key Takeaways

Trabzonspor refused head coach Fatih Tekke’s resignation on Friday after Ferencvaros knocked the club out of the Europa League play-off tie.
Trabzonspor lost four-0 in Hungary on Thursday, crashed out five-0 on aggregate, and the club said Tekke acted under intense emotional impact.
Mohamed Salah said he stayed committed to Trabzonspor’s project after leaving Liverpool last month, as the club now moves into the Europa Conference League.

Trabzonspor rejected head coach Fatih Tekke’s resignation following the club’s Europa League elimination by Ferencvaros, with Mohamed Salah insisting he remains fully committed to the Turkish side’s project.

Trabzonspor suffered a 4-0 defeat in Hungary on Thursday, losing the Europa League play-off tie 5-0 on aggregate and dropping into the Europa Conference League.

Tekke offered to step down after the heavy defeat, but the club rejected his resignation on Friday. Trabzonspor said the 48-year-old had made the decision under the “intense emotional impact” of the Europa League exit.

The Turkish side finished third in the Super Lig under Tekke last season and has strengthened their squad significantly during the summer transfer window.

Naija News reports that Salah, who joined the club after leaving Liverpool, admitted that the defeat hurt but said setbacks had always pushed him to achieve more.

“Nothing in my career ever came easy. Bad nights and disappointments are part of football, and I have learned to turn them into motivation and into trophies,” Salah wrote on 𝕏.

“Trabzonspor is my club, and I am part of this project, body and soul. Last night will not change that.

“I know expectations are high, and I truly believe we can and will deliver. ‘I came here to win’ is not just a slogan to me.”

Trabzonspor will now compete in the Europa Conference League, where Scottish side Hearts rank among their six opponents.

The seven-time Turkish champions have also signed former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho, while Andre Onana has returned to the club on loan from Manchester United.

Salah, 34, joined Trabzonspor last month after mutually agreeing to terminate his Liverpool contract at the end of last season. The Egyptian international left Anfield as Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer, behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt, with 257 goals in 442 appearances since arriving from Roma in 2017.

He opened his Trabzonspor account with two goals in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Istanbul Basaksehir.

Author:

Ernest Victor

Victor Ernest Osong is a passionate communicator, teacher, poet, well-trained journalist, creative strategist, purpose-driven storyteller, and realist. With a strong foundation in writing, editing, content development, and leadership, he specializes in shaping narratives that inform, inspire, and ignite action. Email: [email protected]