Istanbul football club Galatasaray has announced plans to take legal action against Fenerbahce head coach Jose Mourinho over alleged racist statements he made following their 0-0 draw on Monday. During his post-game press conference, Mourinho, a former Portuguese player, remarked that the home team’s bench was “jumping like monkeys” and claimed that having a Turkish referee officiate the match would have been a “disaster.” The game was overseen by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic after both clubs requested a foreign official.
In a statement, Galatasaray accused Mourinho of consistently making derogatory remarks about the Turkish people since arriving in Turkey and claimed his latest comments went beyond immorality into “inhumane rhetoric.” The club confirmed its intention to initiate criminal proceedings against him and file official complaints with UEFA and FIFA over the alleged racist remarks.
Fenerbahce, however, dismissed the accusations, arguing that Mourinho’s comments were taken out of context. The club stated that he was merely describing the exaggerated reactions of Galatasaray’s coaching staff and that there was no racist intent.
Fenerbahce also criticized the allegations as an attempt to manipulate public perception and shift the focus away from on-field competition. Mourinho, who took charge of Fenerbahce last June, currently has his team in second place in the Super Lig, trailing league leaders Galatasaray by six points.
