Galatasaray has accused Fenerbahce head coach Jose Mourinho of making racially insensitive comments after a goalless draw in the highly anticipated Istanbul derby.
The club has stated that Mourinho’s remarks crossed ethical boundaries and announced plans to pursue criminal charges against the 62-year-old Portuguese manager.
During a post-match discussion following Monday’s Super Lig fixture, Mourinho allegedly referred to the Galatasaray bench as “jumping like monkeys” while also reiterating his dissatisfaction with Turkish referees. The match was officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, a neutral selection requested by both clubs for the high-profile clash.
In an official statement, Galatasaray strongly condemned Mourinho’s remarks and confirmed their intention to take legal action.
“Since his arrival in Turkish football, Jose Mourinho has consistently made remarks targeting the Turkish people,” the club’s statement read. “His comments have now escalated beyond inappropriate language into outright racist discourse.”
Galatasaray further announced plans to lodge formal complaints with UEFA and FIFA while closely monitoring Fenerbahce’s response to their manager’s behavior.
As of now, neither Mourinho nor Fenerbahce has issued a public statement regarding the allegations. Fenerbahce currently sits second in the Turkish Super Lig, trailing Galatasaray by six points.