Jose Mourinho has been slapped with a four-match touchline ban and fines totaling over £35,000 following controversial comments made after Fenerbahce’s heated derby against Galatasaray. The Portuguese manager landed himself in hot water when he criticized the Galatasaray bench for “jumping like monkeys” and suggested the match benefited from not having a Turkish referee in charge.
Galatasaray responded furiously, filing official complaints with both UEFA and FIFA, accusing Mourinho of racial discrimination. Fenerbahce have since announced plans to pursue legal action against what they call “defamatory” claims. The Turkish Football Federation’s punishment breaks down into two separate charges. For his post-match confrontation with officials, Mourinho received a two-match ban from the touchline and dressing room, plus a fine of £2,542.
The federation’s statement claimed Mourinho had used “derogatory and offensive statements towards the Turkish referee” and “accused Turkish football of chaos and disorder,” damaging “the brand value of football activities in Turkey.” His press conference remarks earned him another two-match ban and a much steeper fine of £32,602, with officials citing statements that “were contrary to the ethics of sports and fair play” and “could encourage violence and disorder.”
The fallout from the derby has been extensive. Members of Mourinho’s coaching staff were fined, while Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk – who called Mourinho “the crying one” – received a one-match ban and fine. Both clubs face supporter sanctions. Galatasaray will play their next home match with a section closed due to “bad and ugly chanting,” while Fenerbahce have been hit with a two-match away fan ban following pitch incidents.
Galatasaray didn’t escape punishment for their social media post accusing Mourinho of “racial discrimination” and “derogatory statements towards the Turkish people.”
The club was fined £65,000, and president Dursun Ozbek received a 34-day denial of rights.
