Fenerbahce gaffer José Mourinho has launched legal action against Galatasaray after the powerface accused him of making racist comments in the aftermath of Monday’s fiery Istanbul derby. On its official website, Fenerbahce confirmed the legal proceeding and said Mourinho was asking for 1,907,000 Turkish lira ( $52,223) for “the attack on his personal rights.
It was ignored as expected the goalless draw between the Turkish giants teams Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, in which Mourinho was accused of making a racist attitude. The club said it would begin proceedings against the Portuguese manager.
Mourinhoously criticized the opposition bench, saying they were “jumping like monkeys” during a press conference following the match, and added that it would have been a “disaster” if a Turkish referee had overseen the tie. His remarks resulted in a four-match ban from the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), which referenced “unacceptable and offensive statements” and his claims of chaos in Turkish soccer.
Fenerbahce have not commented further on the lawsuit while Galatasaray have stood firm in their position. A club spokesperson told Reuters they had already taken legal action against Mourinho and made no further comment.
The court case only adds to an already volatile rivalry between the two Istanbul giants.