Italian Legend In Turkish Tunnel Bust Up

It’s being reported that Leonardo Bonucci has been involved in a fight in the tunnel during Fenerbahce’s 2-2 draw with Alanyaspor.

Sarı Kanaryalar dropped a vital two points in the fight for the Super Liga title, with Galatasaray winning on Saturday. It could have been worse for the side that also finished second last season – they trailed 1-0 at the break, thanks to Loidi Augusto’s early opener.

Reports suggest that the 36-year-old, a sub for the home side, clashed with Alanyaspor coach Metin Atkas as the two left the field at the break. It’s believed Bonucci felt the visitors were going down too easily, and frustrations boiled over into violence.

💥💥Futbolcumuz Leonardo Bonucci, Alanyaspor Antrenörü Metin Aktaş’a ayarı veriyor!

pic.twitter.com/Dk7nYeIF4B

— Fener Global (@FenerGlobalOrg) February 11, 2024

Bonucci didn’t get onto the field, but Fenerbahce did rescue a point; Dusan Tadic hit a 49th-minute penalty to level the game, and veteran striker Edin Dzeko gave them the lead ten minutes later. Alanyaspor levelled through Augusto again to give them a little breathing space in the battle to avoid relegation.

Bonucci, who English fans will remember as the player who levelled the European Championship final in 2021, has been with the Turkish side since January 10th and has appeared five times. He joined them from Union Berlin, for whom he only appeared 11 times, after making more than 350 senior appearances for Juventus. Rather ironically, the veteran centre-back is an ardent anti-bullying campaigner.

The incident comes just two months after Turkish football was plunged into controversy by another violent incident. A match between MKE Ankaragucu and Rizespor made global headlines when a club owner launched an astonishing attack on elite referee Halil Umut Meler. Also in December, a third-division match between Bursaspor and Diyarbekirspor was disrupted when a brawl broke out between two sets of players that involved punches and flying kicks.

Site Opinion

It seems Turkey just can’t shake the reputation for violence, and this weekend’s actions may have been tame compared to December, but they’ll still make headlines.

Bonucci is a hero in his homeland, a European Championship winner and nine-time Serie A winner with 121 caps for his country. To see him embroiled in an event like this might be something of a surprise, and it’s sure to further stain the reputation of the Super Liga, and Turkish football.