Galatasaray accuse Mourinho of racist statements after Istanbul derby

ISTANBUL – Galatasaray have accused Jose Mourinho of making “racist statements” and said they will initiate criminal proceedings against the Fenerbahce coach over his comments following their 0-0 Super Lig draw on Feb 24.

While it was not clear which statements they were referring to, Mourinho had 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.

The game was refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vincic after both clubs requested a foreign official take charge.

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 of the Portuguese.

“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.

The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur manager has previously been fined and suspended for his comments about Turkish match officials. And he was again critical of Turkish referees in a press conference after the match.

“I went to the referees’ dressing room after the game. Of course, the fourth official was there, a Turkish referee,” Mourinho told reporters.

“I told him (Vincic),‘Thank you to come here because you come for a big match and you are responsible for a big match. And I turned myself to the fourth official and I (said),‘This match, if you are the referee, this match would be a disaster’. And when I say him, I say the general tendency.”

Mourinho also praised Vincic for not