Rangers Europa League opponents embroiled in 'racism' storm as Jose Mourinho blasts match officials

The ex-Chelsea boss will face Rangers in the last 16 of the Europa League next week, with the Portuguese boss fighting to bring silverware domestically and in Europe in his debut season at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. Six points behind fierce rivals Galatasaray in the Süper Lig title race, Fenerbache had the better of the play as the two sides battled for a point at Rams Park in Istanbul in a clash officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic.

Mourinho praised that the Turkish FA’s decision to draft in Vincic for the game, citing that the Slovenian was more “responsible” than a Turkish official would have been for the game, claiming that a homegrown referee was more likely to have resulted in the clash being rendered a “disaster”.

“It was a big match and big fight from both teams,” said Mourinho. “With a Turkish referee, you'd have a yellow card after one minute - then with an 18-year-old kid I have to make a change immediately. The referee was top. The match was a top match, not beautiful but a top, competitive match. Anyone, not just in Turkey, but abroad, watched a big football match and I think the man responsible for that was the referee.

"I have to thank the referee. After the big dive in the first minute and 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. I went to his office after the game, where the Turkish fourth official was, and I told him thankyou for coming here. You came for a big match, and I said to the fourth official, if you were in the charge of this match it would be a disaster - and when I say him, I say the general tendency.”

However, following the post-match comments, Galatasaray have now claimed they will "initiate criminal proceedings" against the Fenerbahce manager, who they say made "racist statements" following the stalemate on Monday

In a statement, Galatasaray said: "Since the commencement of his managerial duties in Turkey, Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people. Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric.

"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. Furthermore, we shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahce - an institution professing to uphold 'exemplary moral values' - in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager."