Galatasaray, a top football club in Turkey, has accused Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho of making racist comments.

The club announced that they will start legal proceedings against him following his remarks after their 0-0 draw in the Turkish Super Lig on Monday, February 24.

Although it is unclear which exact statements Galatasaray is referring to, Mourinho was heard saying that the home team’s bench was “jumping like monkeys.” He also suggested that the game would have been worse if a Turkish referee had been in charge.

“Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric,” the club said

“We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.”

The match was officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic. Both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce had requested a foreign referee due to the intense nature of the derby.

Galatasaray stated on social media that Mourinho has repeatedly made offensive remarks about Turkish people since joining the league. The Portuguese coach has already faced fines and suspensions for his past comments about Turkish referees.

“ I went to the referees’ dressing room after the game. Of course, the fourth official was there, a Turkish referee,” Mourinho told the press conference.

“I told him (Vincic), ‘Thank you to come here because you come for a big match and you are responsible for a big match.
“And I turned myself to the fourth official and I (said) ‘this match, if you are the referee, this match would be a disaster.’

“And when I say him, I say the general tendency.”

During the post-match press conference, Mourinho praised Vincic for not giving a yellow card to Fenerbahce defender Yusuf Akcicek early in the game. He also criticized the Galatasaray bench for their reaction to a challenge.

“I have also to thank the referee because with a Turkish referee after the big dive in the first minute, their bench jumping like monkeys on the top of the kid, with a Turkish referee you would have a yellow card after one minute and after five minutes I would have to change him,” he added.

This latest controversy adds to Mourinho’s history of bold statements, and it remains to be seen how the legal process will unfold.