Jose Mourinho has vehemently denied accusations of racism levelled against him by Galatasaray, claiming the “not clever” attack has backfired spectacularly.
The Fenerbahce manager, embroiled in a heated Istanbul derby clash, found himself at the centre of controversy after alleging opposition bench behaviour saw them “jumping like monkeys.”
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Galatasaray threatened legal action over the remarks, but Fenerbahce swiftly issued a staunch defence of their manager, denouncing the claims as “pathetic slander” and “completely malicious.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Mourinho subsequently filed a lawsuit against Galatasaray, seeking just under £42,000 in “non-pecuniary losses.”
Speaking to Sky Sports, Mourinho directly addressed the allegations, stating, “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, with African people and African players and African charities. So instead of going against me, I think it boomeranged and went against them.”
He continued, “Everyone knows who I am as a person. Everybody knows my bad qualities, but that is not one of my bad qualities. Exactly the opposite! The most important thing is I know who I am, and the attack accusing racism was a bad choice. I just felt: how could they go so low?”
Mourinho expressed gratitude for the widespread support he received, particularly from former players like Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, who publicly defended his character.
“Probably even from people who don’t like me the support was there. I thank the people who didn’t have a problem to speak [out], especially my boys, my former players. They were a very important voice,” he said.
Since taking charge at Fenerbahce, Mourinho has faced a challenging period, frequently criticising Super Lig match officials.
However, he has successfully steered the team into a competitive title race and secured a place in the Europa League last-16, where they are set to face Rangers.
This latest controversy adds another chapter to Mourinho’s eventful tenure in Turkey, with the “Special One” demonstrating his characteristic resilience in the face of adversity.
