José Mourinho, Fenerbahçe’s manager, has been handed a three-match suspension following an intense altercation with Galatasaray’s head coach, Okan Buruk. The incident occurred after Fenerbahçe’s 2-1 loss to Galatasaray in the Turkish Cup quarterfinals, a match in which Victor Osimhen’s two goals secured victory for Galatasaray.
Mourinho’s frustration boiled over when, after the game, he approached Buruk and pinched his nose, causing the Galatasaray coach to stumble.
This unexpected action sparked a chaotic scene, with both teams’ players and staff rushing to intervene, further escalating the heated rivalry between the two clubs.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) initially considered a harsher penalty, potentially suspending Mourinho for five to ten matches. However, after reviewing the situation, including Buruk’s provocation of Mourinho, the suspension was reduced to three matches. In addition to the suspension, Mourinho has been fined approximately £6,000 for his unsportsmanlike conduct.
This suspension marks Mourinho’s second disciplinary action in 2025. Earlier in February, he was handed a four-match ban for making racist remarks about the Galatasaray bench, referring to them as “jumping like monkeys.”
