Mourinho Banned

Jose Mourinho has been handed a four-match suspension following the Galatasaray vs. Fenerbahçe derby.

Fenerbahçe head coach Jose Mourinho has been suspended for four matches after the heated Istanbul derby against Galatasaray, as announced on the official website of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF).

The Super Lig match took place on Monday, February 25, at Galatasaray's home ground and ended in a 0-0 draw. After the match, Mourinho remarked that at one point, Galatasaray's bench players were "jumping like monkeys." The Portuguese coach also entered the referees' room post-game, sarcastically thanking Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić for his work while stating, "If a Turkish referee had officiated, it would have been a disaster."

Following the match, Galatasaray accused Mourinho of racism due to his remarks. As a result, the TFF disciplinary committee suspended Mourinho for two matches for insulting opponents and an additional two for criticizing referees and damaging the image of Turkish football. Additionally, Mourinho was fined over 1.6 million Turkish lira (more than €38,000).

Fenerbahçe fans were also penalized, with the club ordered to play two Super Lig matches behind closed doors, while Galatasaray received a partial stadium closure as punishment.

Published by Patrick Jane
27.02.2025