In a nail-biting match that extended well into stoppage time, Fenerbahce clinched a thrilling 3-2 victory over Trabzonspor on Sunday with a 102nd-minute goal by Sofyan Amrabat. However, the post-match discussions were dominated not by the result, but by Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho’s blistering criticism of the officiating.
The Portuguese manager, a celebrated figure for his stints at Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham, was visibly elated when Amrabat scored the late winner, even attempting a celebratory knee slide. But in his post-match interview with beIN Sports, Mourinho expressed deep frustration, questioning both the refereeing standards and his decision to join Turkish football.
“I blame the Fenerbahce people that brought me here,” Mourinho said. “They only told me half the truth. They didn’t tell me the whole truth because if they did, I wouldn’t have come. But, with half of the truth and my boys, we fight opponents and the system.”
Central to Mourinho’s complaints were two penalties awarded to Trabzonspor following VAR consultations. He also argued that his side was denied a penalty that could have changed the game’s trajectory. Mourinho was scathing about the role of VAR official Atilla Karaoglan, whom he accused of playing a more decisive role than the on-field referee, Oguzhan Cakir.
“The man of the match was Atilla Karaoglan,” Mourinho said bluntly. “We didn’t see him, but he was the referee. The referee was just a little boy on the pitch. We don’t want him as a VAR. We don’t want him on the pitch, but on the VAR, even less.”
Trabzonspor’s head coach, Senol Gunes, dismissed Mourinho’s comments, suggesting that Mourinho’s criticisms were overblown. “I don’t need to talk about them,” Gunes said. “What happened? Penalty or not? A goal scored? Isn’t it a goal? Many things can be talked about. I stay away from them anyway.”
Mourinho’s criticisms come amid a heightened focus on officiating standards in Turkey. Last season saw several high-profile incidents, including a league-wide suspension after referee Halil Umut Meler was attacked by a club president. In another case, Istanbulspor’s president withdrew his team from the pitch in protest at a controversial decision against Trabzonspor.
Despite the tension, Fenerbahce’s win lifts them to second place in the Turkish Süper Lig, five points behind rivals Galatasaray. The drama surrounding this match will likely linger as Fenerbahce and their fiery manager look to narrow that gap while grappling with Turkey’s officiating controversies.
