GistNexus – April 6, 2025.
Fenerbahçe boss Jose Mourinho has been banned for three games and fined approximately £6,000 ($7,734) for a clash with Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk during Wednesday night’s Istanbul derby in the Turkish Cup. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) issued the sanction on Saturday after investigating the altercation that took place at the end of Wednesday’s match, when Fenerbahçe lost 2-1 to Galatasaray in the quarterfinals of the competition.
The Incident: Nose Grab Causes Controversy
The controversy flared up after the final whistle of the Turkish Cup quarterfinal match, when tempers were already frayed. A brawl broke out among the players of the two teams during stoppage time, and three players were sent off by the referee. At the end of the game, Mourinho stepped behind Buruk and, in a gesture that is currently the subject of widespread outrage, appeared to pinch the nose of the Galatasaray boss. The gesture caused Buruk to fall onto the ground dramatically with his hands over his face as if injured.
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Galatasaray immediately charged Mourinho with “physically attacking” their coach, and the two sides began trading insults. The televised and replayed altercation has since generated more ill will between the Istanbul giants. Fenerbahçe, though, has accused the fall of Buruk as a symptom, claiming he was “pretending as if he had been shot” in an attempt to provoke Mourinho. The TFF ultimately found Mourinho’s actions to be non-sporting, leading to the suspension and fine.
TFF Sanctions: Three-Match Ban and Fine
As a response to Mourinho’s actions, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has issued a three-match ban, which will exclude him from the dressing room and bench for Fenerbahçe’s next three official matches. These matches comprise important league matches against Trabzonspor, Sivasspor, and Kayserispor. Mourinho is also required to pay 292,500 Turkish Lira (around £5,955) as a fine, further generating controversy over his actions.
The TFF statement emphasized that the fine and suspension were given due to Mourinho’s behavior against his competitor. The Turkish organization also shed light on the fact that Mourinho’s actions formed an unsuitable physical confrontation within a professional setting, especially at the moment in the aftermath of the intense game.
Mourinho’s First Season in Turkey: A Series of Setbacks
This punishment is not the first disciplinary action Mourinho has faced since he came to Turkey to train Fenerbahçe. The Portuguese strategist, notorious for his quick temper and confrontational attitude, has already landed himself in trouble on more than one occasion during his first season in the Süper Lig.
In February, Mourinho was banned for four matches and fined $42,000 for his remarks denouncing the referees following another confrontation with Galatasaray. During the match, he claimed that if the referee were Turkish, the match would have been disastrous for Fenerbahçe. These comments were deemed inappropriate by the Turkish authorities, leading to additional punishments being handed to the manager.
Racial Allegations and Counterclaims
Aside from the disciplinary action over his remarks, Mourinho was also involved in a racial scandal earlier this season. Following a scoreless draw between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, Galatasaray accused Mourinho of uttering racist comments against their players. They said that the Fenerbahçe manager employed “unequivocally inhumane rhetoric” when they claimed that he called their players “jumping around like monkeys.”
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This charge was subsequently met with a strong denial on the part of Mourinho and Fenerbahçe. The club and its manager sued Galatasaray for what they called an “invasion of personal rights” and requested damages worth $52,000. The subsequent legal battle over these allegations further escalated the already intense rivalry between the two clubs.
Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office eventually dismissed Galatasaray’s criminal complaint against Mourinho, news the Fenerbahçe camp was jubilant about. Nonetheless, the trading of verbal shots and public denunciations only appeared to raise the level of tension between the two teams, culminating finally in the latest nose-grabbing incident.
Fenerbahçe’s Reaction to Mourinho’s Ban
Upon hearing the news of Mourinho’s suspension and fine, which was conveyed by the TFF’s notification, Fenerbahçe issued an official statement expressing how dismayed they were by the decision. While agreeing that Mourinho’s conduct was intolerable, the club also hinted that Galatasaray manager Buruk’s actions, like so-called “disrespectful hand gestures” during the game, should come into play when determining the appropriate type of penalties. Fenerbahçe also complained about Buruk for allegedly provoking Mourinho, which had led to the scuffle.
The club continued to state that they would defend their manager at this scandal, keeping their word to support Mourinho against what they believed was a biased treatment. Fenerbahçe has remained Mourinho’s backbone ever since his summer hire in 2024, even throughout the several disciplinary scandals he has had.
In addition to Mourinho’s suspension, Fenerbahçe assistant coach Salvatore Foti also faced disciplinary action. The Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) handed Foti a four-match ban for insulting an opposing player during the melee that occurred in the closing moments of the match. Foti’s suspension adds to the list of penalties surrounding Fenerbahçe’s staff and players following the dramatic events of the Istanbul derby.
Fenerbahçe substitute Mert Yandas was handed a one-game suspension for taking part in the melee. Galatasaray substitute Kerem Demirbay and reserve Baris Yilmaz both were handed red cards for their involvement as well, again highlighting the extreme emotional stress that pervaded the game and the melee that ensued thereafter.
Fenerbahçe’s and Galatasaray’s are possibly the fiercest of Turkish football rivalries, and Wednesday’s match further intensified the flame. The two clubs have long been bitter rivals with both being repeatedly embroiled in contentious events on and off the pitch. The Istanbul derby is among the most closely followed games of Turkish football and garners support from fans from all over the world.
The relationships between the two clubs have even deteriorated in recent months, particularly following the February meeting when Mourinho made the inflammatory comments. The racism allegations, and more so the ensuing legal battles, have only served to heighten the tension between the two clubs.
The nose-grabbing incident, which occurred at the height of the match’s emotional peak, has strained the two clubs’ relationship even further, with both clubs accusing each other of disrespect and provocation.
The Road Ahead for Mourinho and Fenerbahçe
In the coming times, Fenerbahçe will have to contend with the backlash of the event and Mourinho’s suspension, as the club seeks to press on with its quest for a Süper Lig title. Currently, Fenerbahçe sits in second position in the league, six points adrift from Galatasaray but having one game in hand. Mourinho’s inability to sit on the touchline for the remainder of the games can be costly for his team, especially as the club seeks to narrow the gap at the summit of the table.
Fenerbahçe’s next match is against Trabzonspor, but Mourinho won’t be on the bench leading his players. Without him, Fenerbahçe will rely on his assistants to guide them through the difficult matches ahead.
With the dust having finally settled on the Istanbul derby, there is little doubt Mourinho will still be at the center of the soap opera drama unfolding in Turkish football. His hot-headedness and history of controversial behaviour guarantee that this will not be the last disciplinary measure he sees while in Turkey. For now, all will be observing the manner in which Fenerbahçe performs without him and if and how the team can rebound from the recent blunder in their pursuit of the Süper Lig title.
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Reported by GistNexus Team and Edited by Mr. Chibueze Onwuka