Champions League to feature three Turkish coaches for the first time

The UEFA Champions League will record a first this season: three Turkish managers will lead their teams in the competition at the same time. That had never happened before in the tournament’s history.

Who the names involved are

Ismail Kartal is in charge of Fenerbahce, while Okan Buruk manages Galatasaray, the two great Istanbul rivals who have divided Turkish fans for decades. Arda Turan, the former player known for spells at Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, has taken over the Shakhtar Donetsk bench and is now trying to prove his worth as a coach in the very competition that marked his playing career.

Arda Turan’s path draws particular attention. An idol of Turkish football on the pitch, he is now building a different route far from home, at a Ukrainian club that continues to play international matches even amid the conflict with Russia. His appointment by Shakhtar was seen as a bold bet by the Ukrainian board.

A milestone for Turkish football

The rise of Turkish coaches in Europe is not exactly recent, but it has gathered pace in recent years. Clubs such as Galatasaray and Fenerbahce had historically turned to foreign names for the dugout; the change of course, prioritising local coaches, reflects greater confidence in the training of managers within the country itself.

Having three simultaneous representatives in the world’s main club competition works as a showcase. The reaction is already treated internally as a watershed for the profession, something that could open doors for other Turkish coaches in major leagues over the next decade.

What to expect from the campaign

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce arrive at the league phase of the competition buoyed by strong campaigns in the Turkish championship, while Shakhtar continue their peculiar routine of hosting matches outside Ukrainian territory for security reasons. The three teams face different challenges ahead, but for now the symbolism of gathering compatriots in the dugouts rivals any result on the pitch.