Galatasaray Plan ‘Criminal Proceedings’ Against Jose Mourinho

Galatasaray have released a statement declaring preparations to follow forward with criminal charges against Jose Mourinho after claiming he made racial statements in the aftermath of the 0-0 between the two clubs on Monday. In the post-match press conference following the Istanbul derby, Mourinho expressed that the home team’s sideline was acting recklessly, likening them to “monkeys.”

He also underlined his criticism of Turkish referees, stating that it would have been a “disaster” to have an official from Turkey managing the match, after Slovakian referee Slavko Vincic was picked to take command. Now though, the Super Lig leaders have indicated their plans to move forward with a case against the ‘Special One.’ Watch the press conference event that appears to have caused the legal complaint:

Mourinho: “Galatasaray yedek kulübesindekiler maymun gibi zıplıyordu”

pic.twitter.com/IIlYFs8s5m

— Balkolik (@BaIkolik) February 24, 2025

Galatasaray formally announce both criminal proceedings as well as official complaints to UEFA and FIFA regarding José Mourinho's statement after The Intercontinental Derby that Galatasaray's bench were 'jumping like monkeys' after Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic decided not to… pic.twitter.com/SLnrFHN7rq

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 24, 2025

Galatasaray’s Statement in Full

The club claim Mourinho has issued ‘derogatory statements’ from the start of his reign as manager

Galatasaray stated in a social media post that Mourinho had made ‘derogatory statements’ since his appointment as Fenerbahce manager, and announced plans to file official complaints with FIFA and UEFA.

“Since taking over as manager of Fenerbahce in Turkey, Jose Mourinho has often made disparaging remarks about the Turkish people. Today, his rhetoric has progressed beyond simple unethical remarks to unequivocally brutal language.

“We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal procedures in response to Jose Mourinho’s racist words, and will submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.

“Furthermore, we shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahce – an institution professing to uphold” excellent moral principles “—in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager.”

📌 Club Statement from Galatasaray SK

Since the commencement of his managerial duties in Türkiye, Fenerbahçe manager Jose Mourinho has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people. Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments… pic.twitter.com/NRLsk9F4kT

— Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray) February 24, 2025

Mourinho Praises Slovakian Referee

The Portuguese’s latest criticism of Turkish officials appears to have landed him in hot water

During his press conference, Mourinho was asked about teenage defender Yusuf Akcicek’s performance, but instead of responding, the Portuguese coach focused on the Slovakian referee’s positive performance.

“I need to thank the referee. “After the big dive in the first minute and their bench jumping like monkeys on top of the kid,” the former Chelsea manager explained. “With a Turkish referee, you would receive a yellow card after one minute, and after five minutes, I would have to replace him.

“After the game, I went to the referee’s dressing room, and the fourth official, a Turkish referee, was there. I told him, “Thank you for coming here; you’ve come for a big match,” and then went to the fourth official and said, “If you were a referee, this match would be a disaster.”

The 62-year-old took over as Fenerbahce’s head coach last summer and has already been banned and fined for comments about the country’s refereeing standards.