Jose Mourinho, the manager of Fenerbahce, is facing legal action after being accused of making “racist comments” following the highly charged Istanbul derby against Galatasaray on Monday, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
The controversy stems from Mourinho’s post-match remarks, where he criticized the officiating and the behavior of the Galatasaray bench.
The match, officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, saw heightened tensions, with both clubs demanding a foreign referee for the crucial fixture.
Mourinho, who has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with domestic refereeing since joining Fenerbahce in June 2024, made several comments that have drawn the ire of Galatasaray.
“I went to the referees’ dressing room after the game. Of course, the fourth official was there, a Turkish referee,” Mourinho said. “I told him [Vincic], ‘Thank you to come here because you come for a big match and you are responsible for a big match. And I turned myself to the fourth official and I [said] ‘this match, if you are the referee, this match would be a disaster.’ And when I say him, I say the general tendency.”
Furthermore, Mourinho criticized the Galatasaray bench for their reaction to an early challenge on Fenerbahce defender Yusuf Akcicek, stating they were “jumping around like monkeys.”
“I have also to thank the referee because with a Turkish referee after the big dive in the first minute, their bench jumping like monkeys on the top of the kid, with a Turkish referee you would have a yellow card after one minute and after five minutes I would have to change him,” he added.
Galatasaray has responded strongly, labeling Mourinho’s comments “unequivocally inhumane” and pledging to initiate criminal proceedings.
In a statement released on social media, accompanied by a “#SayNoToRacism” graphic, the club accused Mourinho of consistently making “derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people” since his arrival in Turkey.
“Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric. We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to Uefa and Fifa,” Galatasaray stated.
The club also called on Fenerbahce to address the conduct of their manager.
As of the latest update, Mourinho has not publicly commented on the accusations. Fenerbahce remains second in the Turkish Super Lig, six points behind leaders Galatasaray and 12 points ahead of Samsunspor in third.
