Besiktas, the Turkish football club, sidelined Eric Bailly (29), who had recently returned from injury, along with four other players, prompting a sharp rebuttal from the Ivorian defender’s agent.
Following the 1-3 defeat at home against league leaders Fenerbahçe during the 15th round of the Turkish championship, Besiktas announced the exclusion of five players from the squad, including four African players: Vincent Aboubakar, Eric Bailly, Rachid Ghezzal, and Jean Onana.
The club conveyed their decision through a brief and succinct press release, attributing the exclusions to “poor performances” and “incompatibility within the team,” as stated by the club’s general coordinator of football teams, Samet Aybaba.
However, Eric Bailly’s exclusion, in particular, sparked surprise and controversy given that the former Marseille player had just completed the full match on Saturday after a recovery period of over three weeks due to a thigh injury.
In response to Bailly’s sudden sidelining, his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, expressed deep shock and announced the preparation of a robust response to the club’s decision.
Pimenta highlighted the perceived violation of the player’s rights and emphasized the need to protect Bailly’s integrity.
“We are taken aback by this decision, and it caught us completely off guard. We are preparing our response as Eric has done nothing wrong.
We firmly believe that the player’s rights are being violated, and we will take the necessary steps to safeguard his position,” Pimenta conveyed in comments relayed by Fabrizio Romano to the BBC.
🚨 Bailly’s agent Pimenta on Eric being dropped from Besiktas squad: “We are shocked and it took us by surprise”, told BBC.
“We are preparing our reaction since we know Eric has done nothing wrong. The player’s rights are being violated and we will make sure to protect him”. pic.twitter.com/dVNc6xZA3p
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 12, 2023
The situation has sparked significant interest and speculation within the football community, as Bailly’s unexpected exclusion, especially after a recent return from injury, has raised questions about the decision-making process and the player’s future with the club.
The unfolding developments are anticipated with great interest as the player’s camp gears up for a response to the club’s decision.
