Mourinho Strikes Back with Defamation Lawsuit Against Galatasaray
After Galatasaray threatened to sue him over racism allegations, Fenerbahçe head coach José Mourinho has hit back with a defamation lawsuit against the club.
The Portuguese manager is already facing sanctions and fines from the Turkish Football Federation, as well as the looming legal action from Galatasaray. But Mourinho isn’t one to back down. Instead, he has taken legal action of his own against the club.
Fenerbahçe, which had earlier voiced its support for Mourinho amid the controversy, confirmed on Friday that they had filed a defamation lawsuit seeking 19.07 million Turkish Lira in damages.
The specific amount may seem unusual, but it carries symbolic meaning. Fenerbahçe was founded in 1907, a number that is prominently displayed in the club’s emblem. The lawsuit figure was intentionally set to match that year.
The club did not disclose further details, while Galatasaray confirmed to Reuters that they had already taken legal steps against Mourinho but did not provide additional comments.
The Incident That Sparked the Controversy
The controversy erupted after Monday’s heated clash between Fenerbahçe and their fierce rivals Galatasaray, which ended in a goalless draw.
To avoid potential bias, both clubs had requested a foreign referee for the high-stakes fixture. Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić was appointed to officiate the match.
Speaking after the game, Mourinho revealed that he had visited the referee’s dressing room.
“I went to see the referees after the match. The fourth official, a Turkish referee, was also there. I told the main referee (Vinčić), ‘Thank you for coming here. It was a big game, and you handled it well.’ Then, I turned to the fourth official and said, ‘If you were in charge of this match, it would have been a disaster.’ By saying that, I was actually addressing everyone in Turkey and their natural tendencies,” Mourinho stated.
One of the game’s most controversial moments occurred early on when Fenerbahçe’s 19-year-old defender Yusuf Akçiçek made a challenge that sparked outrage on Galatasaray’s bench. Mourinho later praised referee Vinčić for not issuing a yellow card to his player.
“I thanked the referee because if a Turkish official had been in charge, the way one of their players dived in the first minute and the way their bench reacted like monkeys jumping around the young boy (Akçiçek)… A Turkish referee would have given him a yellow card immediately, and within five minutes, I would have had to sub him off,” Mourinho said.
Galatasaray’s Legal Action and Fenerbahçe’s Response
Following Mourinho’s remarks, Galatasaray strongly condemned the comments on social media and accused the coach of making racist remarks. The club then announced they were initiating criminal proceedings against the 62-year-old Portuguese manager.
Fenerbahçe quickly came to Mourinho’s defense, stating that his words had been deliberately twisted and misrepresented. The club also declared that they would take legal action against what they described as baseless allegations—leading to their defamation lawsuit against Galatasaray.
Mourinho’s Suspension and Fine
On Thursday, the Turkish Football Federation handed Mourinho a four-match ban and fined him 1.617 million Lira (approximately $44,000). The federation’s statement cited his “insulting and offensive remarks” towards Turkish referees, adding that his comments violated the ethics of the sport and could incite violence and unrest among fans.
This is not the first time Mourinho has been penalized for his remarks about Turkish referees. Earlier this season, he was already fined and suspended for similar comments.
Now, with lawsuits flying in both directions, the Mourinho-Galatasaray saga is far from over.
