Jose Mourinho has found himself at the center of another controversy after Galatasaray accused the Fenerbahce manager of “physically attacking” their coach, Okan Buruk, in the aftermath of a heated Turkish Cup quarter-final clash. The fiery encounter ended with Galatasaray sealing a 2-1 victory, thanks to a brace from Victor Osimhen, but it was the post-match scenes that caught the fan attention.
The altercation unfolded when both managers were in the center circle, interacting with the match officials after the final whistle. Mourinho, approaching Buruk from behind, appeared to pinch his nose, sending the Galatasaray boss to the ground clutching his face.
The incident sparked outrage within the Galatasaray camp, with the club’s vice-president Metin Ozturk launching a scathing attack on the Portuguese coach.
“Our manager Okan and Mourinho congratulated the referees. After that, while Okan was continuing, Mourinho first verbally and then physically attacked him,” Ozturk claimed. “Where else in the world can he do this? What does he think of Turkey? I believe that Fenerbahce’s management will impose the necessary sanction before the federation does.”
Watch the incident:
Despite the accusations, Buruk himself attempted to downplay the incident. “There was nothing between me and Mourinho,” he stated. “He pinched my nose from behind. There was a slight scratch. Of course, it wasn’t a very nice or elegant thing to do. We expect managers to behave more appropriately in such situations. I won’t exaggerate this issue, but it wasn’t a classy move.”
The match, already marked by tension, saw three red cards issued in stoppage time, with Fenerbahce’s Mert Yandas and Galatasaray’s Kerem Demirbay and Baris Yilmaz all sent off following a touchline brawl.
This isn’t the first time Mourinho has clashed with Galatasaray. Following a goalless Super Lig encounter between the two clubs in February, Galatasaray accused him of making “racist statements” and vowed to “initiate criminal proceedings.”
The Turkish Football Federation subsequently handed Mourinho a four-game ban and a £35,194 fine for two disciplinary breaches, prompting the Fenerbahce boss to file a lawsuit against Galatasaray for “the attack on his personal rights.”
Mourinho joined Fenerbahce ahead of the 2024/25 season, and his side is currently six points behind league leaders Galatasaray at second spot in the Turkish league. However, Fenerbahce do have a game in hand. The side had finished second in the previous season, too, finishing with 99 points—three behind Galatasaray.
Under Mourinho, Fenerbahce reached the round of 16 of the Europa League but endured a heartbreaking exit, losing on penalties to Scottish side Rangers.
