Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has once again found himself in controversy after a heated confrontation with Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk in the aftermath of his team’s 2-1 defeat in the quarter-finals of the Turkish Cup on Wednesday, April 2.
The intense Istanbul derby, held in Kadıköy, saw tempers flare as Mourinho’s frustration boiled over. As the match neared its conclusion, the Portuguese coach clashed with Buruk on the pitch, an incident that culminated in Mourinho pinching the Galatasaray boss’s nose. Buruk, in visible distress, fell to the ground clutching his face, leading to an all-out melee between players from both sides. The commotion resulted in three red cards being issued—Fenerbahce’s Mert Yandas and Galatasaray’s Kerem Demirbay and Baris Yilmaz were all sent off just before second-half stoppage time.
Mourinho had to be restrained and was eventually pulled away by a member of his coaching staff, but the damage had already been done. The incident has sparked widespread criticism, with Galatasaray Sports Club Vice President Metin Öztürk condemning Mourinho’s actions in strong terms.
“The recent incident was not just an attack on Galatasaray’s head coach but on Turkish football as a whole,” Öztürk stated. “I don’t know where Mourinho gets the courage to behave like this. He insults Turkishness and receives no punishment. He gets a four-match ban, which is then reduced to one, and he serves it in the Turkish Cup.”
Öztürk also called for action from the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), urging them to address Mourinho’s behavior. “Both Okan Hoca and Mourinho went to congratulate the referees. But afterward, as Okan Hoca was moving away, Mourinho first verbally assaulted him, then physically attacked him. Where in the world can he do this? What does he think Turkey is? I believe that Fenerbahçe will take the necessary action even before TFF does.”
As of now, neither Mourinho nor Fenerbahce has issued an official statement regarding the incident. However, given the gravity of the situation and the scrutiny from Turkish football authorities, further disciplinary action could be imminent.
This latest controversy adds to Mourinho’s long history of touchline antics, raising questions about whether his temperament is becoming a liability for his teams. With Fenerbahce now out of the Turkish Cup, all eyes will be on how the club and the football federation respond to this latest outburst from the outspoken manager.
