A Rangers supporter who traveled to Istanbul to watch his team face Fenerbahce in the UEFA Europa League last-16 clash tragically lost his life in a traffic accident just hours before the match.
Both clubs confirmed the incident on Thursday, expressing their condolences.
The identity of the fan has not been disclosed, but reports indicate that he had arrived in Turkey’s largest city in anticipation of the highly anticipated showdown against Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.
Turkish media outlet SabahTV released traffic camera footage capturing the moment a pedestrian was struck by a car while running across a wide boulevard at a pedestrian crossing.
The incident reportedly took place in the Besiktas district before dawn on Thursday, with the driver and a second driver taken to court, it said.
The British embassy had offered consular assistance to the family of a British national, a spokesman said, but gave no further details about the incident.
“We are devastated to have learned of the passing of one of our supporters in a road traffic accident overnight in Istanbul,” Rangers FC wrote on X, saying their thoughts were with his family and friends “at this incredibly difficult time”.
Fenerbahce also said they had “learned with deep sorrow that a Rangers FC fan who came to Istanbul to support his team in the first match of the UEFA Europa League last 16 round” had “died as a result of a traffic accident”.
“We would like to express our condolences to the family of the fan, the Rangers club and the community,” the club wrote on X.
