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WHAT HAPPENED?
Fenerbahce and Jose Mourinho crashed out of the Turkish Cup at the hands of Galatasaray with a 1-2 home loss. Mourinho subsequently lost his cool at Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk after the game, pinching his nose during an argument.
The unexpected gesture led Buruk to fall to the ground, sparking a heated exchange between players and staff from both sides. Security had to intervene to separate the agitated parties.
Mourinho was later fined and handed a two-match suspension by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) for his actions, as well as for his general conduct during the match.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Mourinho’s latest transgression further adds to his growing reputation for controversial behavior in Turkey. Earlier in the season, he was banned for four matches, later reduced to two upon appeal, for criticizing match officials in a game against Galatasaray. The TFF had stated that Mourinho’s remarks promoted violence and disorder.
Galatasaray poked fun at Mourinho after the incident by posting a cartoon video and a tweet captioned, “You should not attack, you should digest!”
The Fenerbahce manager has also had previous clashes with other coaches, including Mauricio Pochettino earlier this season. His behavior has drawn criticism across Turkish football and the wider European game, with many expressing that it is damaging his legacy.
WHAT MOURINHO SAID
Mourinho addressed his actions during a pre-match press conference ahead of Fenerbahce’s next game. He stated: “I’ve absolutely zero regret. I just feel that somebody has to stop this. Somebody has to make it stop. I don’t think it’s right and it’s not fair that every time we have a game in Galatasaray, I finish with a ban.
“But I can’t do anything but enjoy my job. I met Clement Turpin as my UEFA observer twice. At the first one, he absolutely destroyed my life. It had consequences as I wouldn’t say I’ll never get some jobs if he didn’t do what he did. It might be interesting to meet him again in the future… but I’m not blaming him for my situation in Galatasaray. That would be outrageous. He did his job.”
WHAT NEXT?
Fenerbahce return to league action on Saturday, April 6, 2025, with an away game against Trabzonspor. The team currently sits 2nd in the table, 6 points behind Galatasaray but with 1 less match. After that match, Mourinho’s team will have 8 more matches until the end of the season to try and win the Turkish League.