The story appears on

Page A16

January 15, 2018

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

HomeSports

Brawl at airport as Turan arrives home

Turkish league leader Istanbul Basaksehir announced it had reached an agreement to sign midfielder Arda Turan on loan from Barcelona before the player鈥檚 homecoming sparked an embarrassing airport brawl.

鈥淎rda Turan is returning to his country wearing the orange kit (of Basaksehir). This is not just a transfer for Basaksehir, but a transfer for all of Turkey,鈥 club president Goksel Gumusdag said in a statement.

In a tweet, the club shared a video of a crossword being filled in with the key answers being 鈥淎rda Turan.鈥 Barcelona also confirmed the deal in a statement.

鈥淔C Barcelona and Istanbul Basaksehir FK agree on a loan deal for the Turkish player for the remainder of the season and two more,鈥 Barcelona said.

Turan was welcomed by around a hundred supporters wearing orange scarves at Istanbul Ataturk airport on Saturday evening and holding 鈥淲elcome Arda Turan鈥 signs. However, a brawl erupted at one point between fans and the police as Turan arrived while one fan fainted. The crowd shouted angry slogans at the police: 鈥淲e are not terrorists but supporters!鈥

Turan was in high spirits, smiling and waving at the crowd, telling reporters he was 鈥渧ery happy鈥 with the move. 鈥淚鈥檓 here not just for short-term goals, but for long-term success,鈥 he was quoted as saying by Hurriyet daily.

The 30-year-old joined Barcelona in 2015 after four successful seasons with Atletico Madrid.


 

Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

娌叕缃戝畨澶 31010602000204鍙

Email this to your friend