Jose Mourinho has been handed an unusual punishment by the Turkish FA over explosive comments he made during a Fenerbahce press conference.
Fenerbahce are third in the Turkish Super Lig table, five points behind runaway leaders Galatasaray.
They have won seven of their 10 games, however, with the most recent of those being a dramatic 3-2 away win at Trabzonspor on Sunday.
Sofyan Amrabat scored in injury time to secure the victory, and an ecstatic Mourinho even did a knee slide – that went slightly wrong – after charging on to the pitch.
Jose Mourinho celebrates with his players on the pitch during Fenerbahce’s 3-2 win over Trabzonspor – Getty
In his post-match press conference, the Portuguese had finally had enough with the perceived standard of refereeing in Turkey and, in typical Mourinho fashion, made his feelings known.
He was furious that, after watching Fenerbahce concede two penalties, the away side didn’t receive a spot kick of their own when the ball struck the arm of a Trabzonspor defender.
He began his press conference by claiming that ‘nobody abroad wants to watch the Turkish league‘ because it ‘smells bad’.
Mourinho then promised to upload a clip of the incident to his Instagram page so more people could see it – which he did later on – before going in on referee Atilla Karaoglan.
He said: “We were in good control, winning 1-0, when Atilla woke up. Because in the first half he was probably having Turkish tea.
“I don’t think abroad many people watch the Turkish league. I think in London only my son watches the Turkish league, nobody else.”
In a separate interview, he stated: “I blame the Fenerbahce people that brought me here. They told me only half of the truth. They didn’t tell me the whole truth, because if they told me the whole truth, I wouldn’t come.
“But with half of the truth and my boys, we fight opponents and the system.
“The man of the match was Atilla Karaoglan. We didn’t see him, but he was the referee. The referee was just a little boy that was there on the pitch.”
Now, in news that will probably shock no-one, Mourinho has been punished for his comments by the Turkish FA.
He has been fined a huge £22,000 for his comments, and received a separate punishment for another offence.
Mourinho has received a one-match touchline ban for ‘unsportsmanlike behaviour towards opposition fans’. He has also been fined a further £1,300.
But the one-match ban also includes a ban on even entering the dressing room – meaning he can have no communication with his players before, during or after Fenerbahce’s next match.
Jose Mourinho in the stands for Fenerbahce’s 3-1 defeat to Alkmaar – Getty
A Turkish FA disciplinary board statement reads: “In the post-match flash interview and press conference … the statements in question are contrary to sportsmanship, sports ethics or the concept of fair play, damage the reputation of the TFF, aim to diminish the value of Turkish football, cast a shadow over the impartiality of the referees and other match officials, and are therefore punished with a discretionary fine in accordance with Article 38/4-a of the FDT due to Unsportsmanlike Statements.”
Meanwhile, Mourinho – who watched from the stands – saw his side lose 3-1 to AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday.
