Jose Mourinho denies racism allegations

Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has strongly denied racism allegations made against him by Galatasaray, stating he is the “opposite” of a racist.

Galatasaray announced their intention to “initiate criminal proceedings” against Mourinho, accusing him of making racist remarks after their goalless Istanbul derby on February 24.

Mourinho Dismisses Claims, Highlights African Connections

Mourinho rejected the accusations, emphasizing his deep connections with Africa, African players, and African charities. “They [Galatasaray] were not clever in the way they attacked me because they didn’t know my past,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “Instead of going against me, I think it boomeranged and went against them.”

Read Also: Drogba, Essien defend Mourinho amid racism allegations

The controversy erupted after Mourinho said the Galatasaray bench had been “jumping like monkeys” during the game. However, Fenerbahce later defended their manager, insisting his remarks had been “completely taken out of context.”

Mourinho Files Lawsuit Against Galatasaray

The 64-year-old Portuguese manager has since filed a lawsuit against Galatasaray, seeking 1,907,000 Turkish Lira (£41,000) in damages.

“Everyone knows who I am as a person. Everybody knows my bad qualities, but that is not one of them. Exactly the opposite!” Mourinho said in his defense.

Drogba and Essien Defend Mourinho

Mourinho also thanked his former players, including Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, for publicly supporting him amid the allegations. “I thank the people who didn’t have a problem speaking out, especially my boys, my former players. They were a very important voice,” he added.

Mourinho made the statements ahead of Fenerbahce’s Europa League last-16 match against Rangers.

Mourinho Criticizes Turkish Referees

Beyond the racism allegations, Mourinho has reiterated his criticism of Turkish referees, arguing that it would have been a “disaster” to use a local official for the Istanbul derby.

The match was officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, following a joint request from both clubs for a foreign referee.

Mourinho was initially handed a four-match ban by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) for making “derogatory and offensive statements” about Turkish referees and accusing Turkish football of “chaos and disorder.” However, his suspension was later reduced to two matches.