Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho received a four-match suspension and a fine from the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) on Thursday following his controversial remarks about Turkish referees after a tense Super Lig match against Istanbul rivals Galatasaray.
The 62-year-old Portuguese coach was fined 1,617,000 Turkish lira (approximately $44,000) for his critical comments during a post-match press conference following Monday’s goalless draw.
According to the TFF, the punishment was imposed due to Mourinho’s “derogatory and offensive statements towards the Turkish referee” and his accusations of disorder within Turkish football.
The federation emphasized that Mourinho’s remarks breached sports ethics, promoted violence, and could potentially incite unrest among fans.
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Monday’s high-stakes match was officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, following a mutual request from both clubs for a foreign official. Despite this, Mourinho’s post-match statements stirred controversy.
“The performance of the referee was a top performance,” Mourinho said, underscoring that Vincic’s non-Turkish background played a role.
“Anyone, not just from this country but also abroad, watched a big football match. I think the man responsible for that was the referee.”
Mourinho also addressed a specific incident involving his 19-year-old defender Yusuf Akcicek.
He suggested that if a Turkish referee had been in charge, Akcicek might have been unfairly booked early in the game.
“Again, I have to thank the referee because with a Turkish referee, after the big dive and the first minute and their bench jumping like monkeys on top of the kids…
A Turkish referee would have [given Akcicek] a yellow card after one minute, and after five minutes I would have to change him,” Mourinho stated.
Galatasaray responded strongly, announcing plans to initiate criminal proceedings and report Mourinho to FIFA and UEFA over what they described as “racist statements.”
In contrast, Fenerbahce defended their manager, arguing that his comments were misinterpreted and deliberately distorted. The club announced its intention to pursue legal action against what it called “baseless accusations.”
Mourinho, who previously managed Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, is no stranger to disciplinary actions, having faced fines and suspensions for comments about Turkish match officials in the past.
