Mourinho Files Lawsuit Against Galatasaray Over Racism Claims

José Mourinho has filed a lawsuit against Galatasaray, claiming damages following accusations that he made racist statements during a post-match press conference after Fenerbahce's 0-0 draw with Galatasaray. The lawsuit seeks 1,907,000 Turkish lira, a symbolic amount referencing Fenerbahce's founding in 1907. Mourinho's comments, where he described the Galatasaray bench as 'jumping like monkeys', were deemed racist by Galatasaray, while Fenerbahce argued that these remarks were taken out of context. In a related disciplinary action, the Turkish Football Federation imposed a four-match ban and a fine of approximately £35,000 on Mourinho for derogatory remarks about Turkish referees. Galatasaray has indicated plans to pursue criminal proceedings against Mourinho for what they termed 'derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people'. The ongoing conflict highlights the tensions between the two rival clubs in Turkish football.