Jose Mourinho Sues Galatasaray Over Racism Allegations

Jose Mourinho has filed a lawsuit against Galatasaray after the Turkish club accused him of making racist statements.

Jose Mourinho has taken legal action against Galatasaray, filing a lawsuit in response to accusations of racism made by the Turkish club. This development was announced by Mourinho's current club, Fenerbahce, in a statement released on Friday.

According to Fenerbahce's statement, Mourinho is seeking 1,907,000 Turkish lira (approximately $52,223) in damages from Galatasaray. The lawsuit alleges that Galatasaray's accusations constitute “an attack on the personal rights” of the Portuguese coach. However, Fenerbahce did not provide further details regarding the lawsuit.

AÇIKLAMA

Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü avukatları aracılığıyla Teknik Direktörümüz Jose Mourinho’nun kişilik haklarına yapılan saldırı sebebiyle Galatasaray Spor Kulübü’ne Jose Mourinho tarafından 1 milyon 907 bin Türk Lirası manevi tazminat davası açıldığını kamuoyuna duyururuz.… pic.twitter.com/EiTlKP6pje

— Fenerbahçe SK (@Fenerbahce) February 28, 2025

The legal action follows the highly charged Istanbul derby between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, which took place on Monday. The tense match has sparked a heated dispute between the two clubs, culminating in Mourinho's decision to take Galatasaray to court over their allegations of racism.

Jose Mourinho is seeking 1,907,000 Turkish Lira from Galatasaray for "moral damages" - the equivalent of around £41,500 - a symbolic amount which references 1907, the year Fenerbahce were founded. pic.twitter.com/mNFE3gmOtV

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 28, 2025

Following the 0-0 draw, Galatasaray lodged a complaint against José Mourinho, alleging that he made racist remarks. The Turkish club announced their intention to initiate criminal proceedings against the Portuguese manager.

Mourinho sparked controversy during the post-match press conference, stating that Galatasaray's bench had been “jumping like monkeys.” He further suggested that the match would have been disastrous if a Turkish referee had been in charge. These comments led to a four-match ban from the Turkish Football Federation (TFF).

The TFF condemned Mourinho's comments as “derogatory and offensive statements” and accused him of promoting chaos in Turkish football. As a result, the TFF imposed the four-match ban on the Portuguese manager.

We are with you Jose Mourinho! 💛💙 pic.twitter.com/Rn7R8teHSr

— Fenerbahçe SK (@Fenerbahce) February 28, 2025

A Galatasaray spokesperson confirmed that the club had already taken legal action against Mourinho. The spokesperson declined to provide further comment on the matter.