Fenerbahçe fans clash with police after Galatasaray win title

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Galatasaray won the Turkish league title for the 18th time on Saturday after a 0-0 draw at arch-rivals Fenerbahçe, but crowd trouble marred the occasion.

Photo: AP

In a tense derby that Fenerbahçe needed to win to retain the championship, Galatasaray hung on against a more attack-minded home side as red cards reduced both sides to 10 men in the second half.

After the final whistle, hundreds of Fenerbahçe fans stormed the field and clashed with police at their Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul.

Spectators also ripped up seats and threw them at police, who tried to use their shields to protect the players. Flares were also tossed at the police.

In response, police used pepper spray to disperse the fans and evacuated the stadium as players fled to locker rooms.

Sports channel Lig TV said some Fenerbahçe fans also clashed with police outside the stadium, throwing stones at a police vehicle with a water cannon.

The pitch invasion and violence blocked Galatasaray from immediately celebrating and lifting the Turkish Super League Cup. But the team eventually returned to the field to receive the trophy.

"We would not take the cup in the changing room," state television quoted Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim.

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