The Last Five Derbies Between Besiktas And Fenerbahce Have Been Utter Madness

Whenever Fenerbahce and Besiktas lock horns, expect red cards. The Istanbul derby is a typically fiery fixture and the latest instalment in the series brought more of the same.

Having met in the league on Sunday in a game that ended 3-1 in Besiktas' favour courtesy of some individual brilliance from Ricardo Quaresma, the Turkish Cup semi-final first leg was played last night and finished 2-2.

Quaresma, the matchwinner less than a week earlier, was sent off just seven minutes after being brought on as a substitute for raising his hands to Josef de Souza, but was livid with the decision and would not leave the pitch straight away.

That brought more altercations between the two sets of players, with Pepe obviously involved -because of course he was.

At this point, Quaresma was the second player to receive a red card, following on from Fenerbahce's Alper Potuk being given his marching orders for two bookings in quick succession before half-time.

There was time for one more sending off though, as in the 76th minute, with Fenerbahce goalkeeper Volkan Demirel, already on a yellow for his scuffle with Pepe in the early stages of the first half, penalised for rushing out of his goal to have a go at the referee.

He was incensed that the man in the middle hadn't blown for a goal kick when the ball had clearly gone out of play.

Incredibly, in the last five meetings between the two giants of the Turkish capital, there have been 180 fouls, 11 red cards and 32 yellow cards.

The second leg is to be played on 17 April and you just know there will be fireworks yet again...