Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho has broken his silence regarding the racism allegations leveled against him by Galatasaray following his comments after their recent match.
The controversy arose after Mourinho, during his post-match press conference, criticized the Galatasaray bench for “jumping like monkeys” while appealing for refereeing decisions early in the game. His remarks were met with backlash, prompting Galatasaray to file a formal complaint, accusing him of racism.
However, in an interview with Sky Sports, Mourinho denied any racist intent, insisting that the allegations had ultimately backfired. He highlighted his long-standing ties with African players and communities, citing support from Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, two of his former players.
“They were not clever in the way they attacked me because they didn’t know my past. They didn’t know my connections with Africa, African people, African players, and African charities. So instead of going against me, I think it boomeranged and went against them.
Everyone knows who I am as a person. People may be aware of my flaws, but racism is not one of them. In fact, it’s the opposite. The most important thing is that I know who I am, and the accusations were a poor choice.”
Mourinho also took a swipe at Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk, criticizing his touchline behavior.
“I just felt, how could they go so low? I cannot drop to his level. Sometimes I do, and I ask myself, ‘Why did you do it, Jose? Why did you drop to that level?’ It was just sad.”
He concluded by expressing gratitude to those who stood by him.
“I thank the people who didn’t hesitate to speak out, especially my former players. They were a very important voice.”
As a result of the controversy, Mourinho initially received a four-game touchline ban and a £35,000 fine, which was later reduced to two matches and a £12,200 fine.
