Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday inaugurated the brand new Istanbul waterfront stadium of the Besiktas football club, whose hardcore fans have been virulently hostile to his rule. The formal opening did not take place inside the stadium - which was almost entirely empty - but beneath one of the stands in front of selected VIPs with some complaining normal supporters had been robbed of the chance to participate in the long-awaited event.
Besiktas in 2013 played for the last time at their old stadium in the same historic location on the shores of the Bosphorus just above the Ottoman-era Dolmabahce Palace.
That stadium - which was named after the second president of modern Turkey Ismet Inonu - was knocked down and the over 40,000 capacity Vodafone Arena built in its place.
Besiktas, currently locked in a thrilling fight for the league title with arch Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce, have been homeless since then and the opening of the new stadium has been greeted with relief by fans.
"EveDonuyoruz," tweeted fans. "We are going home."
"I wish our eagles all the best for their new home," said Erdogan, wearing a scarf in the black-and-white colours of Besiktas, known by fans as the "Black Eagles".
"I believe that this stadium we are opening will be embraced by all the fans... Besiktas, Turkey's oldest, most established sports club has long deserved such a stadium," he said before cutting the ribbon.
Erdogan, in his youth a serious amateur player, then engaged in a light-hearted kickabout on the pitch with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his predecessor Abdullah Gul with whom he reportedly has poisoned relations.
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