Jose Mourinho’s troubled debut season in Turkey: A timeline of all his controversies at Fenerbahce

Jose Mourinho’s debut season at Fenerbahce has been anything but quiet. The Portuguese coach, known for his love for drama, has brought his trademark antics to Turkish football and has already stirred up a storm both on and off the pitch.

The latest chapter unfolded on 2 April, during a fiery Turkish Cup derby against Galatasaray. After a tense 2-1 loss at home, Mourinho was
caught grabbing and pinching the nose of Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk, sparking outrage.

Mourinho has been given a three-match ban for the incident. He was also fined 2,92,500 Turkish Lira (Rs 6,58,618). Galatasaray officials accused Mourinho of a “physical attack,” and their social media team mocked the 62-year-old.

But this incident was just the latest in a string of controversies that have followed ever since Mourinho took over as the head coach of Fenerbahce in June 2024.

A timeline of Mourinho’s tantrums in Turkey

11 August 2024: Mourinho received a yellow card just 20 minutes into his Turkish Super Lig debut after arguing with match referees during their 1-0 win against Adana Demirspor.

30 September 2024: Mourinho protested a disallowed goal by placing a laptop in front of TV cameras, showing what he claimed was proof of a refereeing error during Fenerbahce’s 2-0 win against Antalyaspor.

24 October 2024: In a Europa League clash against his former club Manchester United, Mourinho was shown a straight red for furiously contesting a penalty call. He later sarcastically applauded the referee’s multitasking abilities.

8 November 2024: Mourinho received a one-match ban after claiming he was battling “opponents and the system,” accusing Fenerbahce of hiding the truth about Turkish football before his appointment.

1 February 2025: Mourinho successfully requested a foreign referee for another Turkish derby versus Galatasaray. Slovenian Slavko Vincic was called in to officiate. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.

27 February 2025: A post-match jab at Turkish referees got him a four-match ban from the Turkish Football Federation. His controversial comment comparing Galatasaray’s bench to “monkeys” led to a racism accusation in the same match.

28 February 2025: Mourinho and Fenerbahce hit back, suing Galatasaray for defamation and denying any racist intent. He called the accusations “deliberately distorted.”

7 March 2025: During a press conference following a loss to Rangers, Mourinho pretended to fall asleep while a journalist asked a long-winded question. He even snored as the reporter continued with his question.