Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho found himself at the center of controversy during a fiery Istanbul derby against Galatasaray, after an ugly altercation with opposing coach Okan Buruk.
The clash, which saw Buruk left on the ground clutching his face, came during a tense ending to the Turkish Cup quarter-final, which Galatasaray won 2-1.
Mourinho appeared to grab Buruk’s nose during a heated on-field exchange, sparking outrage among Galatasaray players and staff.
Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera stormed over to confront Mourinho, while chaos erupted between both teams.
Red Cards and Police Intervention
Though Mourinho escaped punishment on the night, the melee resulted in three red cards, with Fenerbahçe’s Mert Hakan Yandaş and Galatasaray’s Kerem Demirbay and Barış Alper Yılmaz all being sent off.
The situation escalated to the point where police had to intervene to separate the clashing sides.
Despite avoiding a red card, Mourinho now faces a potential retrospective ban, as footage of the altercation quickly went viral on social media. Turkish football authorities are expected to review the incident.
A Nightmare Night for Fenerbahçe
The altercation overshadowed Victor Osimhen’s match-winning brace for Galatasaray, securing their place in the semi-finals.
Sebastian Szymański scored Fenerbahçe’s only goal, but it wasn’t enough to prevent elimination.
Mourinho, who joined Fenerbahçe last June after a three-year stint with AS Roma, now faces renewed scrutiny as tensions continue to boil over in Turkish football’s fiercest rivalry.
