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The ongoing feud between Turkish football giants Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray has escalated, as Fenerbahçe confirmed on Friday that head coach José Mourinho has filed a lawsuit against Galatasaray. The legal action follows accusations from Galatasaray that Mourinho made racist remarks after Monday’s fiercely contested Istanbul derby.
Galatasaray released a statement earlier this week, condemning Mourinho’s post-match comments, in which he criticized their bench for “jumping like monkeys” in reaction to a refereeing decision. The club described his remarks as “inhumane rhetoric” and vowed to initiate legal proceedings.
In response, Fenerbahçe defended their manager, stating that his comments were taken out of context and intentionally distorted. On Friday, they took the matter further by filing a defamation lawsuit seeking 1,907,000 Turkish liras (approximately $52,000) in damages, a sum symbolizing the year of Fenerbahçe’s founding in 1907.
Mourinho, who has a storied career managing clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, is no stranger to controversy. This season alone, he has already faced fines and suspensions for his criticism of Turkish referees. Following the derby, Mourinho welcomed the decision to appoint Slovenian official Slavko Vinčić, stating that using a Turkish referee would have been “a disaster.”
As a result of his remarks, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) handed Mourinho a four-match ban and a fine of 1.6 million Turkish lira ($44,000), citing his “offensive and divisive” statements. The federation accused Mourinho of undermining Turkish football and inciting disorder through his words.
Amid the controversy, former Chelsea and Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba publicly supported Mourinho, referring to him as his “dad” and dismissing claims of racism. Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe continues to back their manager, asserting that the allegations against him are baseless and damaging to his reputation.
With legal proceedings now underway, tensions between the two clubs show no signs of easing, keeping Turkish football fans on edge as the rivalry intensifies both on and off the pitch.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram @josemourinho, Pexels / Ahmet Hakan Güder
