Galatasaray to initiate Criminal Proceedings against Jose Mourinho for saying rival players ‘jumped like monkeys’ (video)

Galatasaray football club of  Turkey have accused Jose Mourinho of making “racist statements” and said they will initiate criminal proceedings against the Fenerbahce manager over his comments following their 0-0 Super Lig draw on Monday, February 24.

While it was not clear which statements Galatasaray were referring to, Mourinho said the home side’s bench had been “jumping like monkeys” and that the match would have been a disaster if a Turkish referee had been in charge.

Monday’s game was refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vincic after both clubs requested a foreign official take charge for the highly contested derby match.

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Galatasaray said on X that Mourinho had persistently issued “derogatory statements” directed towards the Turkish people since taking up his role in the league.

“Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric,” the club said

“We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.”

Mourinho has previously been fined and suspended for his comments about Turkish match officials and the Portuguese was again critical of Turkish referees in a press conference after the match.

“I went to the referees’ dressing room after the game. Of course, the fourth official was there, a Turkish referee,” Mourinho told the press conference.

“I told him (Vincic), ‘Thank you to come here because you come for a big match and you are responsible for a big match.
“And I turned myself to the fourth official and I (said) ‘this match, if you are the referee, this match would be a disaster.’

“And when I say him, I say the general tendency.”

Mourinho also praised Vincic for not giving a yellow card to defender Yusuf Akcicek early in the match despite the animated reaction of the Galatsarary bench to a challenge.

“I have also to thank the referee because with a Turkish referee after the big dive in the first minute, their bench jumping like monkeys on the 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 change him,” he added.

Club Statement from Galatasaray SK

Since the commencement of his managerial duties in Türkiye, Fenerbahçe manager Jose Mourinho has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people. Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments… pic.twitter.com/NRLsk9F4kT

— Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray) February 24, 2025