Fenerbahce back to football after gun attack

Turkish top-flight soccer team Fenerbahce will return to the pitch on Friday (AEST) after an almost two-week absence following the gun attack on its team bus.

Happier times... Fenerbache defeat Sevilla in the Champions League (Action Images) Source: www.fenerbahce.org

Fenerbahce had refused to play after the attack on April 4 in the Black Sea region and the Turkish Super Lig was also suspended by one week.

The club had said it would not play until the crime was solved. But although investigators were still working on the case, the club's directors said Fenerbahce had agreed to play after receiving security assurances from the government.

"Fenerbahce's directors have decided unanimously that the club should compete after receiving assurances from the highest competent authorities," the club said in a statement.

Fenerbahce is due to host Mersin at home in the second leg of a Turkish Cup tie that the Istanbul giant already lead 2-1.

After its suspension, the Super Lig also resumes on Friday with Gaziantepspor hosting Konyaspor before a round of weekend matches.

Fenerbahce will play its next Super Lig match on Monday against Bursaspor.

While the gun attack is still unresolved, the key to unlocking the situation appears to have been a rare meeting held late on Sunday by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with the captains of all the Super Lig clubs.

Two people were arrested in the aftermath of the attack but were later released. It remains unclear at what stage the investigation is at.

The Fenerbahce bus was fired on, injuring the driver, as the club returned from a match in the Black Sea city of Rize.

The attack was another blow to the image of Turkish football which has been tarnished this season by crowd trouble, violent outbursts by players and thin attendances blamed on a controversial fan pass system.

Shortly after the attack, one of Fenerbahce's biggest stars, Dutchman Dirk Kuyt, announced he would be going back to the Netherlands at the end of the season.

However, he insisted he had made the decision before the gun attack on the team bus.

Despite the problems, the Super Lig is heading to a thrilling conclusion to the season with leader Galatasaray, second-placed Fenerbahce and third-placed Besiktas all in with a shot at the title.