Jose Mourinho, who is currently in charge of Fenerbahce, has taken legal steps against Galatasaray by filing a moral compensation suit amounting to 1,907,000 Turkish Liras (£41,467, $52,212). The legal complaint is based on what Fenerbahce described as a violation of Mourinho’s rights.
This development comes shortly after Galatasaray accused the Portuguese coach of using “racist statements” following a goalless match between the two Istanbul-based teams on Monday. Galatasaray made it known that they intend to push for criminal proceedings against Mourinho based on his remarks.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) took action on Thursday by handing Mourinho a four-match ban. He was also fined £35,218 for comments directed at Galatasaray’s squad and for words aimed at the fourth official during the match.
Mourinho’s Post-Match Remarks Spark Controversy
After the final whistle, Mourinho had expressed admiration for the match referee, Slovenian official Slavko Vincic, who was selected by the TFF to oversee the Super Lig game. The Fenerbahce coach spoke candidly about his thoughts on the match events.
He remarked, “I must thank the referee. Right from the first minute, there was a dive, and Galatasaray’s bench reacted in a wild manner, climbing on each other.”
Mourinho continued, “If a Turkish referee had been on duty, a yellow card would have appeared in the opening minutes, and I would be forced to substitute the player soon after. Thankfully, the referee allowed the game to continue properly.”
Galatasaray’s Reaction and Accusations
Following those comments, Galatasaray issued a statement condemning Mourinho’s language. They said he had repeatedly used words they considered offensive to Turkish people, describing his post-match speech as “undeniably cruel and unacceptable.”
They also announced plans to report Mourinho to both FIFA and UEFA. The club added that they were taking steps to begin criminal legal proceedings over what they described as racist remarks made by the Portuguese coach.
Fenerbahce’s Response and Legal Pushback
Fenerbahce, in defending their manager, rejected the accusations. The club insisted that Mourinho’s words were being misrepresented on purpose and taken far out of their actual meaning. They are now reviewing legal options to protect their coach’s reputation.
At this point in the Turkish Super Lig standings, Galatasaray currently holds a six-point lead ahead of Fenerbahce.
