Football is a beautiful game, but sometimes it can be really cruel. And we’re not talking about those moments when a team deserves to win, only to end up empty-handed because the Roman goddess of fortune, Fortuna, turned her back on it.No, we are referring to a genuine football cruelty, when, instead of showing what they know on the pitch, clubs have to play in the financial field. And when that kind of trouble starts knocking on their door, clubs usually end up deep below the top-tier level, sinking to some third or fourth flight.After all, the examples are numerous: renowned Spanish clubs and UCL semi-finalists in 2004 and 2013, respectively, Deportivo la Coruna and Malaga, two-time UEFA Cup winners, the Italian Parma, or Glasgow Rangers, who have been the champions of Scotland 55 times.##EDITORS_CHOICE##They have all gone through thick and thin. Some of them have returned to their countries’ top flights and some are still struggling below the level they deserve.One of the teams that share the sad fate with the teams mentioned above is the Turkish Bursaspor.The club founded in 1963 went through its glorious days at the beginning of the past decade, winning their first and only title in 2010, finishing one point ahead of Fenerbahce.The season later, they participated – again for the first and only time – in the Champions League, facing the aforementioned Rangers, Valencia, and Man United in the group stage. And although they finished the competition with only a single point, it was a gigantic step for the club.##NAJAVA_MECA_8877532##During the previous decade, Bursaspor participated in the UEFA Europa League several times and were a stable Turkish Super Lig side, and then the struggles began.Due to financial troubles, the popular Green Crocodiles were relegated to Turkey’s second tier, from which they were further downgraded three years later. Last season, the club hit bottom, being relegated to the fourth flight for the first time in its history.However, a year later, the light at the end of the tunnel exists, as Bursaspor instantly returned to the third league, convincingly winning the fourth tier. Last Sunday, they celebrated the success at the game against Bornova 1877.🇹🇷🤯 This is incredible. Around 45,000 fans attended a 4th division match in Türkiye! Bursaspor’s title celebrating match against Bornova 1877 created a new attendance record for the 4th division. They have a cool stadium too. 🐊 pic.twitter.com/qSyrWU7KHx— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) April 22, 2025 Bursaspor won 4-1 at their Centennial Ataturk Stadium in front of nearly 45,000 people, setting a fourth-tier clash attendance record!Next season, the club will be in for a bigger challenge, as the return to the Turkish Super Lig is the Green Crocodiles’ ultimate goal. But the hope did not abandon them, and as long as there are at least 45,000 people believing in their resurrection, Bursaspor are undoubtedly on the right path.
