In 2025, people often look for a change when coming up with their New Year’s resolutions. But for Jose Mourinho, it is seemingly business as usual after he branded the Turkish Super League “toxic” in another extraordinary press conference and accused the media of ignoring the problem.
You wouldn’t know that Mourinho’s Fenerbahce actually ran out 2-1 winners against Hatayspor on Sunday, keeping them eight points behind runaway table leaders and bitter rivals Galatasaray.
Mourinho, famous for talking about football legacyhe criticized the officials for their play in the match, seemingly exasperated by the lack of decisions that went in his team’s favor.
It wasn’t just the referee who was on the receiving end of Mourinho’s latest tongue attack, with the assembled press also in the firing line as the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid boss unloaded.
“We played well. We dominated the game,” he said. “We created clean positions. We couldn’t pass the ball in what we called half-chances. Their goalkeeper was excellent. We lost the ball in the goals we missed. It’s strange that this game ended 2-1. This game could have been 6- 7-8 I’m happy with the game, but not because of the chances we missed.
“My players did their best. We worked hard for nine days. We achieved a clean victory. If the opponent’s colors were different, they could have stayed with eight players. We know what kind of ‘toxic’ league we play in. They know how to play against us, there should have been five reds in this game. Our players and opponents know it.
“Why are you [the Turkish media] hiding the truth? What are people afraid of in this country? What are you afraid of? I know you are a journalist, I could be a journalist too, fine, but what are you afraid of? Is the point difference the result of the football played? He speaks the truth. Don’t ask me!”
Mourinho recently vented about the quality of refereeing in Turkey, saying that he would not have accepted the job at Fenerbahçe if he had known what was in store for him.
“I know what I was told and before I came, I didn’t believe it,” he said. “It’s even worse than I was told, even worse. We won’t give up, we know what we have, I blame the people from Fenerbahce who brought me here, they only told me half the truth, they didn’t tell me the whole truth, I wouldn’t have come.”
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