Video: collapse in 27 minutes: Turkey fans turn on Montella: Leave!
The Italian coach responds: I didn't leave when I received tempting offers
Turkey head coach Vincenzo Montella found himself in an extremely difficult position following the heavy 4-1 defeat on home soil to Italy on Monday evening, in the second round of Group One in the UEFA Nations League.
The collapse came inside the first 27 minutes. Turkey's fans in Bursa watched in disbelief as Italy pounced, finding the net three times before adding a fourth after the break.
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A second defeat in the group, after the loss to France, proved too much for the home crowd. Their anger erupted at Montella, and they demanded his immediate departure along with that of the Turkish Football Federation president, doing so from the moment Italy went two goals up in the 2nd and 22nd minutes, according to TRTsport journalist Fatih Dogan.
Montella insists he "did not expect" Turkey's supporters to react with such intense anger "after everything these players have done over the past three years".
Criticism was already piling up on the Italian coach after the exit from the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, followed by the 1-0 home defeat to France in the UEFA Nations League.
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Football Italia reported Montella's words to Sky Sport Italia: "The first half hour was certainly one of the things that must be forgotten. Playing every three days at this level requires a certain concentration and experience that we currently lack."
He continued: "We were in the UEFA Nations League (League C) two years ago, and we won the title (League B) last time, so we have clearly shown that we need to improve in this aspect. It requires a mental and physical reset every few days, and that is not something easy to learn quickly."
Pressed on the glaring first-half errors against Italy, he explained: "Certainly, at the start they were more mentally prepared. We were disjointed, so we ran more and lost confidence."
The fans' anger drew a pointed response from the Italian coach: "They also jeered the players after the first goal, even though they did not deserve it. The atmosphere was great before the match, and I really did not expect this quick reaction after everything these players have delivered over the past three years."
Turkish newspaper Hürriyet quoted Montella on the prospect of resignation: "I believe in the work I have done, and even when I received tempting offers, I did not leave. I still trust our players, and I support them."
He concluded: "Just as we got here together, we know how to continue the journey. If there is a possibility of resignation, I will speak with the players, but this is not on our agenda."
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