Ex-Spurs Flop Scores Winner in Wild Istanbul Derby That Featured FIVE Red Cards

If the question 'what is the fiercest derby in world football?' was still up for discussion, this weekend may well have provided an answer.

On Saturday, Besiktas made the short hop across town to face bitter rivals Fenerbahce at the Şükrü Saracoğlu stadium. 

The hosts ran out 2-1 victors on match day six to move within just two points of their Istanbul rivals in the Süper Lig table. However, the actual football was somewhat secondary in what was one of the most action-packed derbies ever seen.

Ricardo Quaresma was the first of five (yes, five) players to be given his marching orders from the referee who may need an ice pack for his card-showing arm after the game.

The Portugal international Quaresma picked up two needless yellow cards towards the end of the first-half to set the standard. Fenerbache's Luís Neto soon joined the winger down the tunnel, after he was adjudged to be the last man when fouling Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun.

Besiktas manager Şenol Güneş was also sent off by the referee while midfielder Atiba Hutchinson followed his boss down the tunnel soon after - with the Canadian given a second yellow card for handling the ball inside the area.

On-loan Tottenham striker Janssen scored a decisive spot-kick for Fenerbahce, before former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel pulled one goal back for the visitors late on.

Not content to let the football be the talking point for even the final five minutes, Ismail Köybasi was then dismissed for a nasty tackle on Besiktas captain Oguzhan Özyakup.

With the final whistle blowing to leave the score 2-1 in favour of Fenerbahce, Özyakup went from victim to villain and was shown a second yellow card as the game was finishing for dissent.

Unconfirmed reports suggest referee Alì Palabiyik has been lying in a dark room with a flannel on his head ever since.