Barcelona player quits Turkey national team after allegedly choking a journalist
Arda Turan was reportedly involved in an altercation on the team flight to Italy
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1 min read
Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan has retired from the Turkey national team after reportedly choking a journalist on a team flight.
The 30-year-old is alleged to have had a verbal and physical confrontation with a journalist on a flight following a friendly against Macedonia over reporting that had been done which blamed Turan for creating discord among the squad over bonus money.
According to Reuters, Turan admitted to "making a mistake" and has left his national team.
"I made a mistake while wearing the national team uniform. It was something that should not have happened on the national team plane," he said.
According to English newspaper The Independent, the incident occurred on the team plane to Italy on Monday night when Turan allegedly approach Bilal Meşe of the Turkish publication Milliyet.
Here is what The Independent is reporting to have been the exchange:
"Tell me Bilal Meşe, were you there?" he began. "Were you with us when you wrote about the bonuses issue? Who did I ask for money from? Who did ask I for bonuses from? Talk. Come on. Who made you write those reports?" Turan reportedly shouted at Meşe, a veteran journalist who had blamed skipper Turan for much of the squad disharmony.
And Turan's rant was said to have gone on before the report notes that he had to be restrained by teammates as he grabbed Meşe by the throat.
Certainly, it is shocking to see Turan go all Miguel Herrera, not accepting being criticized by the media. And though it is a blow to his career, it's a big hit for Turkey. The team is two points back of a playoff spot for the 2018 World Cup, and losing its best player opens the door up for other teams in Group I of UEFA qualifying to make it to the cup, like Iceland and Ukraine.
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