Jose Mourinho has been handed a one-match ban and been fined almost £15,000 for his response to Fenerbahce’s dramatic 3-2 Super Lig victory at Trabzonspor.
The Portuguese, who took a tumble as he attempted a celebratory knee slide on the final whistle in Sunday’s game, was charged with “unsportsmanlike behaviour towards opposing team fans” and “diminishing the value of Turkish football and … discrediting the impartiality of the referees and other match officials” during an outspoken post-match interview.
In a statement, the Turkish Football Federation revealed Mourinho had been punished with “prohibition of access to the dressing room and bench” for one official game, and fined 58,500 Turkish lira – around £1,300 – and a further 600,000 Turkish Lira – £13,500 – for his “hurtful” remarks, with the latter punishment reduced from 900,000 Turkish lira.
In his interview, the former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United boss, who had seen the home side awarded two penalties, took aim at VAR Atilla Karaoglan and said: “I know what I was told even before I came. I didn’t believe. It is even worse than I was told.
“It’s more difficult because we play against our opponents, good opponents like Trabzonspor are, but we play against the system, and to play against the system is the most difficult thing.”
In addition to the sanctions imposed on Mourinho, Fenerbahce vice-president Acun Ilicali – the owner of Sky Bet Championship Hull – was fined 400,000 Turkish Lira (around £9,000) for “unsportsmanlike remarks”.
In a lengthy statement published on Fenerbahce’s website, Ilicali described the officiating as “a complete scandal” and claimed the match had been “massacred” by the VAR.