Mourinho pinches Galatasaray boss Buruk's nose in feisty Istanbul derby; will he face another ban? (WATCH)
Jose Mourinho sparked controversy by pinching Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk’s nose during a heated Istanbul derby in the Turkish Cup.
FollowFenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho found himself at the center of controversy once again after pinching the nose of Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk during a fiery Istanbul derby in the Turkish Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
Mourinho’s side suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat in the clash, which ended in chaotic scenes instigated by the Portuguese coach. The game concluded with three players—Fenerbahce’s Mert Yandas and Galatasaray’s Kerem Demirbay and Baris Yilmaz—being sent off in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.
As the final moments unfolded, Mourinho clashed with Buruk while making his way onto the pitch. Clearly unhappy with something, the former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham boss was seen pinching Buruk’s nose. The Galatasaray manager fell to the ground clutching his face, leading to an on-field melee as players from both sides rushed into the scene.
Mourinho was quickly pulled away by a member of his coaching staff, avoiding immediate punishment. However, he could face retrospective action after the incident, which quickly went viral on social media.
WATCH: Mourinho pinches Buruk's nose
The heated exchange capped off a miserable night for Mourinho, whose team crashed out of the Turkish Cup. Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen netted both goals for his side, while Sebastian Szymanski was on the scoresheet for Fenerbahce.
The rivalry between the two managers had already escalated earlier this year, with Mourinho filing a lawsuit against Galatasaray in February. The legal action followed accusations from the club that he made racist remarks. Mourinho had previously sparked outrage after a goalless league derby by stating that the Galatasaray bench was “jumping like monkeys.”
Mourinho’s Fenerbahce now trail Galatasaray by six points in the Turkish Super Lig, though they have played one game fewer than their rivals.
This is not the first time Mourinho has been involved in a physical altercation with an opposing coach. In 2011, during his tenure as Real Madrid manager, he caused controversy in Spain when he poked then-Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova in the eye. He was initially handed a two-match suspension for the incident, though it was later lifted due to a wider amnesty on bans. Mourinho eventually apologized a decade later, admitting he was in the wrong.
“I was the one in the wrong, I shouldn’t have done what I did. Of course not, that negative image stays forever. Tito had nothing to do with it. I apologize to him,” Mourinho said.
With the latest controversy in Istanbul, Mourinho once again finds himself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, and it remains to be seen whether Turkish football authorities will take action against him.
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