Galatasaray has announced its intention to pursue legal measures against Fenerbahce’s head coach, Jose Mourinho, following his remarks after Monday’s goalless draw between the two Istanbul clubs. The club has accused Mourinho of making “racist statements” but did not specify which remarks were considered offensive.
In his post-match press conference, Mourinho expressed frustration over the conduct of Galatasaray’s coaching staff during the match, claiming they were “jumping like monkeys.” Additionally, he criticized Turkish referees, stating that assigning a local official to the match would have been a “disaster.” The game had been officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, following requests from both teams for a foreign referee.
Mourinho’s remarks and Galatasaray’s response
During his media address, Mourinho referenced a moment involving young defender Yusuf Akcicek. He suggested that had a Turkish referee officiated, the teenager would have received an early booking due to reactions from the opposing bench. “I have to thank the referee. After the big dive in the first minute and their bench jumping like monkeys on 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,” Mourinho said.
Mourinho further criticized Turkish officiating, sharing details of his post-match visit to the referee’s room. He stated that he thanked the Slovenian referee but expressed concerns about the fourth official, who was Turkish. “I told him, ‘Thank you for coming here; you came for a big match,’ and then turned to the fourth official and said, ‘If you were the referee, this match would have been a disaster,'” he remarked.
In response, Galatasaray issued a strong statement condemning Mourinho’s comments, labeling them as “inhumane rhetoric.” The club asserted that the Portuguese manager had repeatedly targeted Turkish officials and the nation’s people since assuming his role at Fenerbahce.
Formal complaints and awaited responses
Galatasaray confirmed that they would not only initiate legal proceedings but also lodge official complaints with governing bodies such as UEFA and FIFA. “We formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho and shall accordingly submit official complaints,” the club’s statement read.
Additionally, the club called on Fenerbahce to take a stance against their manager’s actions. “We shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahce – an institution professing to uphold ‘exemplary moral values’ – in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager.”
Neither Mourinho nor Fenerbahce have publicly responded to the accusations. The 62-year-old coach, who took charge of Fenerbahce last summer, had previously been fined and suspended for his outspoken criticism of refereeing in Turkey. Prior to Monday’s match, he had welcomed the decision to appoint a foreign referee, referring to the local football environment as “toxic.”
