In an exciting Turkish Cup quarter-final, Galatasaray won 2-1 against Fenerbahce, with Victor Osimhen scoring both goals in the first half. But the real chaos came after the match, when Fenerbahce’s manager, Jose Mourinho, grabbed Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk’s nose. This sparked mayhem, leading to red cards and adding more fuel to the fiery rivalry between the two clubs.
Osimhen’s goals help Galatasaray win
Galatasaray took control early in the match when Osimhen pounced on a loose ball in the 10th minute. He then doubled the lead in the 27th minute with a penalty, awarded after VAR spotted a handball by Filip Kostic. Fenerbahce managed to pull one back just before halftime, with Sebastian Szymanski scoring after an overturned offside decision by VAR. Despite Fenerbahce’s efforts in the second half, Galatasaray’s goalkeeper Irfan Egribayat made a vital save to deny Gabriel Sara, securing the win and a semi-final spot against Konyaspor.
Red Cards and Mourinho’s outburst
The match became heated during stoppage time, leading to a brawl. Three players were shown red cards: Galatasaray’s Baris Alper Yilmaz and Kerem Demirbay, and Fenerbahce’s Mert Hakan Yandas from the bench. But the biggest moment came after the match ended, when Mourinho appeared to grab Buruk by the nose. Video clips showed Buruk falling and holding his face while Mourinho was pulled away and given a red card. Buruk later said, “There was nothing between me and Mourinho. He pinched my nose from behind. There was a slight scratch. Of course, it wasn’t a very nice or elegant thing to do. We expect managers to behave more appropriately in such situations. I won’t exaggerate this issue, but it wasn’t a classy move.” Galatasaray’s vice-president, Metin Ozturk, was very angry, saying, “Mourinho first verbally and then physically attacked [Buruk]. What does he think of Turkey?”
Rivalry Gets Stronger Online
Galatasaray wasted no time in teasing Fenerbahce on social media. They posted, “You should not attack, you should digest,” with a photo of Buruk standing next to Mourinho.
With this win, Galatasaray now leads Fenerbahce by six points in the Super Lig. This isn’t the first time Mourinho has had problems with Galatasaray. Earlier in February, Galatasaray accused him of making racist comments after a league match, saying he called their bench “jumping around like monkeys.” Fenerbahce denied these claims and filed a lawsuit against Mourinho.
What’s Next for Istanbul’s Football Teams?
As Galatasaray looks to win both the league and the cup, Fenerbahce will need to recover after this heated match. Mourinho’s actions might lead to more punishments, with Ozturk predicting, “Fenerbahce’s management will take action before the federation does.”
