Mourinho Faces Legal Action Over Alleged Racist Remarks After Istanbul Derby

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Galatasaray has announced plans to "initiate criminal proceedings" against Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho, accusing him of making "racist statements" after their 0-0 draw in the Istanbul derby on Monday.

Following the match, Mourinho remarked that the Galatasaray bench had been "jumping like monkeys" during the game. This comment has sparked outrage and led to threats of legal action from Galatasaray.

In addition to legal proceedings, Galatasaray stated they will file "official complaints" to football's governing bodies, including Uefa and Fifa. As of now, neither Mourinho nor Fenerbahce has responded to these allegations.

The Context of the Controversy

Monday's match was officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, following a request by both clubs for a foreign official to oversee the game.

When questioned about the performance of 19-year-old defender Yusuf Akcicek, Mourinho expressed gratitude towards the referee: "I have to thank the referee. After the big dive in the first minute and 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."

Galatasaray's Official Statement

In a formal statement, Galatasaray declared: "Since the commencement of his managerial duties in Turkey, Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people. Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric. 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. Furthermore, we shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahce - an institution professing to uphold 'exemplary moral values' - in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager."

Mourinho's Track Record

Jose Mourinho, a two-time Champions League winner, was appointed as Fenerbahce manager last summer. Earlier this season, he faced a ban and fine for criticizing refereeing standards in Turkey.

BBC Sport has reached out to Fenerbahce for their comment on the matter.