The controversy began when Galatasaray accused Mourinho of making racist statements after the heated Istanbul derby. However, Fenerbahce swiftly defended their coach, stating on Tuesday that his comments had been "completely taken out of context."
The highly anticipated match was officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, following requests from both clubs for a foreign official. However, the fourth official was Turkish, and Mourinho expressed his ongoing dissatisfaction with Turkish referees during his post-match press conference.
The 62-year-old Portuguese coach later revealed that he had visited the referee's dressing room after the match, where he told the fourth official, "If you were a referee, this match would be a disaster."
On Thursday, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced that Mourinho would face sanctions for two separate disciplinary breaches. The first penalty was imposed due to his "derogatory and offensive statements" directed at the Turkish referee, as well as his claims that Turkish football was in a state of "chaos and disorder." His comments were deemed insulting to both the Turkish football community and referees.
As a result, Mourinho has been banned from the dressing room and touchline for two matches and fined 117,000 Turkish lira (£2,543). Additionally, he received an extra two-match ban and a £32,651 fine for what the TFF described as "an act against sportsmanship" during his post-match press conference.
One of the most controversial remarks attributed to Mourinho involved his description of a Galatasaray player's actions early in the match. He stated, "After the big dive in the first minute and their bench jumping like monkeys on top of the kid... with a Turkish referee, you would have a yellow card after one minute, and after five minutes, I would have to substitute him."
The TFF condemned Mourinho's statements, arguing that they violated the principles of fair play and sports ethics. They further stated that his words could incite violence, create divisions in society, and contribute to disorder among fans.
In response, Fenerbahce officials confirmed to the BBC on Thursday that the club intends to appeal the punishment handed to Mourinho.
