In the aftermath of a heated Istanbul derby that concluded with a 0-0 draw, Galatasaray has announced its intention to file a criminal complaint against Fenerbahçe’s head coach, José Mourinho, accusing him of making racist comments. The club plans to escalate the matter to both UEFA and FIFA.
The controversy stems from Mourinho’s post-match press conference, where he criticized the behavior of the Galatasaray bench, stating, “I have to thank the referee because, in the situation I mentioned, everyone on the other bench was jumping like monkeys.” Galatasaray responded swiftly, issuing a statement condemning Mourinho’s remarks and accusing him of consistently making derogatory comments about Turkish people since his arrival in the country. The club’s statement read: “Today, José Mourinho has escalated his unethical rhetoric to inhumane levels. We will file a criminal complaint against him for his racist statements and bring the issue before UEFA and FIFA.”
This incident adds to the existing tension between the two clubs, intensified by the Turkish Football Federation’s unprecedented decision to appoint Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic for the derby. This marked the first time in 55 years that a foreign referee officiated a Süper Lig match, a move prompted by Fenerbahçe’s concerns over alleged bias from local referees.
The match itself was marred by fan unrest, with authorities reporting actions taken against 71 individuals for various infractions, including disrupting stadium security and lighting flares.
As of now, neither José Mourinho nor Fenerbahçe have issued a public response to Galatasaray’s allegations and intended legal actions.
