21hAlex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez
22hAlex Kirkland and James Olley
Jose Mourinho grabs Galatasaray coach’s nose after Turkish Cup defeatplay
Marcotti: Mourinho likely to face a long ban for nose grab (2:21)
Gab & Juls discuss José Mourinho’s altercation with Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk. (2:21)
ESPN News Services
Apr 2, 2025, 04:35 PM ET
Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho was involved in a bizarre altercation with Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk on Wednesday, grabbing the opposing coach’s nose following a narrow defeat in the Turkish Cup.
Victor Osimhen scored twice for the visitors, his second coming from the penalty spot, and Sebastian Szymanski pulled one back for the hosts on the stroke of halftime, but tempers flared late, with police entering the pitch to restore calm.
A mass scuffle had broken out between the players, with the referee sending three players off — Fenerbahce’s Mert Hakan Yandas as well as Galatasaray’s Baris Alper Yilmaz and Kerem Demirbay.
Amid the chaos, Mourinho was seen grabbing the nose of Buruk, who swiftly dropped to the ground holding his face.
MOURINHO’DAN OKAN BURUK’A FİZİKSEL MÜDAHALE! pic.twitter.com/YLlNiSxIwQ
— Fotomaç (@fotomac) April 2, 2025 “He squeezed my nose from behind while I was going on. There was a slight scratch. Of course, it’s not a very nice and stylish thing,” Buruk said after the quarterfinal match. “I won’t exaggerate about it, but it’s not a very stylish thing.”
Galatasaray vice president Metin Ozturk was not so restrained in his response to a fresh controversy involving the outspoken Mourinho.
“The latest incident is not only an attack on Galatasaray’s coach but also on Turkish football. This is Mourinho, I don’t know where he gets this courage,” he said. “Where in the world can he do this? Where does he think Turkey is?”
Galatasaray later posted a picture on their official X account of a smiling Buruk looking in Mourinho’s direction.
“YOU SHOULD NOT ATTACK, YOU SHOULD DIGEST!” was the message accompanying the picture along with a shushing emoji.
In another post, with a video showing a cartoon version of Mourinho, the club wrote, “Galatasaray drives you crazy.”
It’s the latest controversial incident involving Mourinho this season.
The Portuguese coach, who has repeatedly bemoaned Turkish refereeing, was handed a four-game ban in February for comments he made about match officials after his side’s previous meeting with Galatasaray.
He was also accused by Galatasaray of making racist remarks after that game.
Galatasaray said the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea manager had used “unequivocally inhumane rhetoric” after he referred to the opposition bench “jumping around like monkeys.” Mourinho later sued the club over the accusations.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
