Galatasaray accuse Mourinho of 'racist statements'

Monday's game between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce was refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vincic after both clubs requested a foreign official take charge. Galatasaray have accused Jose Mourinho of making "racist statements" and said they will initiate criminal proceedings against the Fenerbahce manager over his comments following their 0-0 Super Lig draw on Monday. While it was not clear which statements Galatasaray were referring to, Mourinho said the home side's bench had been "jumping like monkeys" and that the match would have been a disaster if a Turkish referee had been in charge. Monday's game was refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vincic after both clubs requested a foreign official take charge. ???? Club Statement from Galatasaray SK Since the commencement of his managerial duties in Türkiye, Fenerbahçe manager Jose Mourinho has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people. Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments… pic.twitter.com/NRLsk9F4kT — Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray) February 24, 2025 Galatasaray said on X that Mourinho had "persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people" since taking up his role in the league. "Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric," the club said. "We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA." Mourinho and Fenerbahce did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters sent outside normal business hours in Turkey. ➤ Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.