Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan has retired from international football with Turkey following an alleged attack on a journalist, according to media reports.
Turan was apparently told to leave the Turkey squad by coach Fatih Terim after the player met officials to discuss claims he apparently verbally abused and tried to physically assaul a sports reporter on a plane taking Turkey to Italy after a 0-0 friendly draw in Macedonia on Monday evening.
Turan apparently responded by opting to quit his country after 11 years. Turky face Kosovo on Friday night in Albania in their next 2018 World Cup qualifier.
BREAKING: Arda Turan just announced that he has quit the Turkish national team and retired from international football 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/N3jGwJ2tlW
— Turkish Football (@Turkish_Futbol1) June 6, 2017
They are five points behind Group I leaders Croatia, but only two behind second-placed Iceland in their bid to bid to make the finals in Russia.The 96-times capped Turan posted a statement on Instagram defending his position.
“This is not about defending myself, it is only to inform people. You are going to see the news after you wake up in the morning.
“After months, I saw one of them on the plane yesterday. Who are they? They are people who wrote lies, slander and ignore people’s dignity and family values when we are playing for our own country. And they call this journalism.”
