For seemingly grabbing Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk’s nose following their Turkish Cup match, Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho was given a three-match suspension.
The incident happened
at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium after the final whistle as both managers were speaking with match officials after Galatasaray’s 2-1 victory.
Mourinho came up behind Buruk and seemed to grab his nose, causing the 51-year-old former Turkey international to collapse to the ground with his hands over his face.
A punishment of 292,500 Turkish Lira (£5,955) was also imposed on the Portuguese, who formerly managed Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham.
Mourinho was accused of “physically attacking” Buruk by Galatasaray.
Later, Fenerbahce claimed that Buruk had provoked Mourinho with “disrespectful hand gestures” and accused him of “acting as if he had been shot.”
Buruk’s actions were taken into account by the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK), which led to Mourinho receiving a reduced punishment for “provocation.”
Salvatore Foti, Mourinho’s assistant, received a four-match suspension for “insult towards an opposing team player.”
Mert Yandas, a 30 midfielder for Fenerbahce, and Kerem Demirbay, a Galatasaray substitute, were both shown red cards for their roles in a brawl between the two benches during stoppage time; Yandas, a substitute for Galatasaray, was given a one-match suspension.
Tension between the two teams had already escalated when Galatasaray declared in February that they would “initiate criminal proceedings” against Mourinho after alleging that he made “racist statements” after a goalless draw.
On Friday, Fenerbahce announced that the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had dismissed Galatasaray’s criminal complaint against Mourinho.
