Acun Ilıcalı speaks out on the attack against Ali Koç: 'I am addressing the Göztepe fans...'

Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç went down to the pitch side in the 50th minute of the Göztepe match, played during the second week of the Süper Lig, and headed toward the stands where the Yellow-Navy fans were located.

Meanwhile, foreign objects rained down onto the pitch from the Göztepe stands. While on the field, Koç was first struck by a foreign object, and then Fatih Özkan, who had entered the pitch with an accreditation card, pushed Koç, causing him to fall to the ground. It was revealed that Özkan, who was taken into custody, had previously been tried for aiding and abetting "attempted intentional homicide" following the incidents that occurred during the Göztepe - Altay match.

Fenerbahçe Vice President Acun Ilıcalı made statements regarding the current agenda on Beyaz TV.

Speaking about transfer efforts, Ilıcalı stated that a midfielder will be signed for the team.

Ilıcalı also spoke about Ali Koç entering the pitch during the Göztepe match.

Ilıcalı's statements are as follows:

"MISTAKES HAPPEN, HOPEFULLY WE WILL CORRECT THEM"

"Football is a passion and a source of happiness for many people. I am involved in football, but I have taken on a new role at Fenerbahçe. I have become an executive for the team I am devoted to. My goal is to lower the tension in the football climate in Turkey. My purpose for entering football is also to bring the beauties of the game to the forefront. My priority is Fenerbahçe. We want to experience the beauties of the game in a fair season. Mistakes happen, hopefully we will correct them. The events that took place were saddening for me."

"SENSELESSLY HOSTILE ATTITUDES WERE DISPLAYED"

"We played against a beautiful team from a beautiful city. Senselessly hostile attitudes were displayed. What kind of tension is there between Göztepe and Fenerbahçe? There has never been any tension or blood feud between the two teams until today. Hostile attitudes during the day. We arrived at the stadium, tension. It was as if we were in another country."

"WE WERE SUBJECTED TO INSULTS"

"50 people made a move. Hooligans do not link Göztepe or Fenerbahçe to Galatasaray. There was a very bad energy where we were sitting. Then we were subjected to insults. Men right next to us were shouting 'Dishonorable'. This one is swearing, that one is swearing, insults... After every referee decision, there was a reaction towards us. There were also very sweet children in front of me."

"IT MAY BE A RULE VIOLATION, BUT HE IS NOT IN A POSITION TO THINK ABOUT THAT AT THAT MOMENT"

"A goal was scored, and none of us moved. Information reached the president that there were people injured and that violence was being used. The person I am referring to is the President of Fenerbahçe Club. As soon as he heard about the incident, he immediately wanted to solve the problem of his own fans. It may be a rule violation, but he is not in a position to think about that at that moment. The action taken there is an action befitting the President of Fenerbahçe."

"IT'S LIKE THIS: THERE'S A PATIENT IN THE CAR, BUT I RAN A RED LIGHT"

"What Ali Koç did is an action befitting a club president. The fans are in a difficult situation. It's like this: there's a patient in the car, but I ran a red light! The priority is the patient. Ali Koç went along the sideline, but three executives went onto the pitch. Then, suddenly, things started raining down. Where is the country heading! If hooliganism is going to be normalized, I am ready to do everything against it. Göztepe is a club I love very much, and I have very dear friends there."

"THEY ARE TRYING TO BLAME THESE INCIDENTS ON US, IT WON'T WORK"

"They are trying to blame these incidents on us; it won't work. Our president went down to the field in an emergency. The president did not engage with the stands at all. The match was starting as the president was turning back. Our fans' safety was not ensured, and they were victimized. Our president went there to address that."

"YOU ARE SAYING THEY SHOULD HAVE GONE FROM OUTSIDE THE STADIUM"

"Pepper spray was used there. Many incidents occurred. The president made the biggest mistake in terms of the route. He doesn't know the stadium, he doesn't know how to get there from the inside. If he had gone from outside the stadium and been attacked, would you have said, 'You stayed outside of security, you got stabbed. It's your fault'? Where was he supposed to go? They took the jersey off the man outside and burned it. And you are saying they should have gone from outside the stadium! Give me a break!"

"THIS CLUB HAS A PRESIDENT, HE MAKES HIS OWN DECISIONS"

"If something were to happen to the fans, I would be the one to go. The president did not tell me to 'Come.' This club has a president, he makes his own decisions. He took the executive in charge of the fans, he took the general secretary, and he went. If I had gone too, I would have passed through there in that manner. I will not set foot outside the stadium. Is it clear what might happen?"

"I AM ADDRESSING GÖZTEPE FANS, 50-100 PEOPLE DO NOT REPRESENT THEM"

"A law regarding this hooliganism needs to be enacted urgently. I am calling out to our state leaders from here. You must give these types of people a lifetime ban. By the way, a hooligan can be anywhere. I am addressing Göztepe fans; 50-100 people do not represent them."

"THE ATTACKER IS CONTINUING HIS LIFE AS NORMAL"

"We were attacked, and subsequently, the attacker is continuing his life as normal. Why is he under house arrest? I am calling out to the Göztepe management: if you attempt to target us in your statements, if you try to stand behind people like this and try to pull the police to your side, these kinds of things will become a nuisance for you tomorrow or the next day. These types of attacks can happen anywhere. We are not offended. Why are we constantly the target? Why is everyone afraid of us? Because of our greatness. People always hold a grudge against those stronger than themselves."

"THE MAN WHO THREW WATER IN KADIKÖY TRIED TO CHANGE TWO STANDS"

"The man who threw water in Kadıköy tried to change two stands. He was tracked by cameras. The president followed the situation and said they wanted to ban him for life. However, he can only receive a maximum penalty of one year. Furthermore, he wants those who applauded the man to be penalized as well."

"FIRST OF ALL, A GALATASARAY EXECUTIVE IS ATTACKING AT GALATASARAY'S STADIUM"

"When there is an attack on Fenerbahçe, it's always wrong on our part! First of all, a Galatasaray executive is attacking at Galatasaray's stadium. When it happens to us, it's always 'if only they hadn't done that, if only they hadn't done this.' You never say 'This is wrong' when a Galatasaray executive tries to take a flag. How nice, honestly. So we ended up being the ones who attacked, what a wonderful world!"

"TECHNICALLY, IT IS WRONG FOR ALİ KOÇ TO ENTER THERE"

"We have no expectation from the TFF such as 'support us.' We want them to be fair. They have made a statement. Technically, it is wrong for Ali Koç to enter there, I admit that. The TFF cannot say 'If you have an urgent matter, go through the red light' anyway."

"ATTEMPTS TO INCITE FENERBAHÇE WILL GET YOU NOWHERE"

"I did not make any comments regarding Galatasaray; I respect that side. Every team can have problems. There are those who feed off Fenerbahçe's misfortune, and some of them are even Fenerbahçe fans themselves."

I spoke with a friend of mine who is a Fenerbahçe fan but has declared war on the club. I won't mention their name. I pointed out that the mindset of 'I'm on the wrong path, let me take a jab at Fenerbahçe every day they stumble, let me attack them' is misguided. I have never hurt anyone to this day. Those who fall into this trap will find themselves without a club tomorrow; there is no destination for those who follow this path. The effort to incite Fenerbahçe will not get you anywhere.

The fans won't go along with you either. You will see how they support the team and the coach. I didn't come from social media; I came from the stands. When we unite, the stadium shakes. Let's say I'm a Galatasaray fan, for example, and I go out and say bad things about Galatasaray; everyone would talk about it. Smear campaigns were carried out against Fenerbahçe as well, but the fans chose us, and we are in office."

TRANSFER STATEMENT

"How many transfers are we going to make for a team that has already collected a record number of points? For me, quality is more important than quantity. We are doing our best to ensure Ferdi does not leave. We want him to stay. Allan Saint-Maximin is a star; we brought him in within a month and a half. I assume you didn't think we were going to bring in Kylian Mbappe."

"Remember where Alex and Pierre van Hooijdonk came from. We convinced Youssef En-Nesyri, even though he received an offer three times higher from Saudi Arabia. Jose Mourinho is the greatest coach in the world, and we brought him here. We are breaking the Turkish transfer record, yet you ask, 'Where are the stars?' Our job is difficult too."

"I don't think the fans think anything negative about Jose Mourinho. Now there is an effort to create a new perception. People are saying, 'He didn't put this player in, what a bad coach.' He is the most accomplished manager in the world."

"We have built a team worth 252 million Euros. We have brought in Mourinho to lead it. We have a deficiency in the midfield because Fred is injured. A transfer is needed there. Why is it being delayed? Because we are looking for the best one."

"If we were to sell players like Ferdi Kadıoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, and İrfan Can Kahveci tomorrow, we would raise 100 million euros, and the person who built this squad is Ali Koç."