Jose Mourinho on Beşiktaş Derby, Galatasaray’s Dursun Özbek, and the Essence of Turkish Football Culture

Beşiktaş Derby

During an informal meeting with journalists, Mourinho emphasized the difficulty of the upcoming derby. He expressed disapproval of the perception that the match would be easy for Fenerbahçe.

The 61-year-old stated:
“In my career, I’ve won eight league titles, all achieved through unity as a community. We’re facing Beşiktaş, and there’s this misconception that it will be an easy match. I wouldn’t say fear, but I deeply respect our opponent and know it will be a tough game. They’re a strong team. While Galatasaray is 13 points ahead of them, and we’re 10 points ahead, Beşiktaş will still aim to win the derby. So, I want our club to stay grounded.”

On the Title Race

Addressing Fenerbahçe’s long title drought, Mourinho remarked:
“Fenerbahçe hasn’t won the league for a long time because it’s fighting against something stronger and more challenging. We need to maintain balance when things don’t go well. We’ve reduced the points gap with our rivals and defeated Slavia Prague away. These are moments when we must stay steady as a community.”

He also stressed the importance of maintaining composure regardless of victories or losses.

Insights on Beşiktaş

Mourinho highlighted that Beşiktaş coach Serdar Topraktepe has been with the team for a while, which gives them stability.
“They don’t have a new coach; the current one is familiar with the players and even won a cup last season. Any coach aims to leave their mark, but that doesn’t happen overnight. Therefore, they won’t stray too far from their previous system.”

Mourinho shared his detailed preparation for the match:
“We’ve studied them and even watched matches at their stadium. Beşiktaş is a team with the quality to beat us. They are dangerous in transitions, but we also have strengths to trouble them. The loss against Galatasaray impacted them psychologically, but I don’t believe their true identity was reflected in their defeat to Göztepe.”

The Derby’s Impact on the Title

Mourinho downplayed the derby’s impact on the title race:
“I don’t think this match will decide the title, though it’s an important game. Beşiktaş has potential comparable to Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, but the points gap makes it difficult for them to close in. Even if we lose, our title chances won’t end.”

On Cristiano Ronaldo

When asked about the possibility of signing Cristiano Ronaldo, Mourinho dismissed the idea:
“Ronaldo won’t come here. The first reason is that I already have three excellent strikers, and I don’t need another forward. Cristiano will always be Cristiano, but he’s focused on his goals in Saudi Arabia, including reaching 1,000 career goals. Aside from Istanbul’s beauty, there’s little to motivate him to come to Turkey. I prefer to focus on victories without the need for flashy transfers.”

Mourinho concluded by reiterating his confidence in his squad and his disdain for the January transfer window.

LIFE IN ISTANBUL

Mourinho shared that his life in Istanbul revolves around the area between Samandıra and his home, though he occasionally goes out to eat at different places once a week.

The experienced coach mentioned that everyone, regardless of their allegiance, treats him well, and fans often ask for photos. He noted Turkey’s unique culture and suggested that foreign coaches struggle with adaptation and patience, which he believes are key reasons they fail to win championships in the country.

“I WANT A CLEAN CHAMPIONSHIP”

Emphasizing his commitment to fair and honest victories throughout his career, Mourinho remarked:

“Others provoke fans against referees, and nothing happens—we all know this. I don’t want to lose my nature. I live in your country, and I must respect, learn, and adapt to its ways, which I am doing. However, I don’t want to lose who I am. I aim to adapt only to the things I agree with. I want to win, but in a clean and fair way. If I cannot win fairly, I would rather lose. Guardiola told me yesterday: ‘I’ve won six trophies, and you’ve won three.’ But I won mine honestly and fairly. If I lose, I want to congratulate my opponent for being better than me. I don’t want to win while dealing with 150 lawsuits.”

“FANS IN TURKEY LOVE THEIR CLUBS MORE THAN FOOTBALL”

The Portuguese manager highlighted that fans in Turkey are more passionate about their clubs than the sport itself, adding:

“Turks are crazy about their teams. It’s similar to Portugal, but England is very different. In England, while managing Chelsea, I could walk home from my office. Here, there’s a culture of firing coaches. It’s December, and five coaches have already been let go. Turkish clubs don’t set goals for Europe; they see any progress as a bonus and focus mainly on the Turkish league. Most teams here play defensively. Some employ aggressive man-to-man pressing, but defense is their priority. We need to focus a bit more on offensive play. We prepare for both styles of play during training, depending on the challenges we expect to face. If you ask where we need improvement, I’d say in our defensive organization. This team lacks a defensive culture. Whether meeting opponents high or deep, we make collective mistakes. These are not individual errors but systemic ones.”

TALISCA AND TRANSFER STRATEGY

Mourinho stated that he hasn’t made any requests for the winter transfer window:

“My aim is to develop the team I started the season with. I didn’t ask for anyone in January. My job is to improve the players given to me in the summer. I’m obsessed with winning, but developing players is just as important. If you don’t give a chance to someone like Oğuz and instead sign a winger in January, you kill that player’s potential. Jayden is out injured, but Kostić and Levent are playing. Mert features in European games. Not every club can be like Manchester City, or else you’d be dealing with 115 lawsuits. If the club decides to do something, I won’t object, and there’s mutual respect between us. Talisca is a great player, but so are Tadić, İrfan, and Szymański. I don’t put pressure on Acun Ilıcalı or the president.”

He also acknowledged the team’s depth, noting the different demands of European and Turkish competitions:

“In Europe, you face faster-paced, more intense teams, while Turkey presents a different style. It’s why PSG struggles in Europe; their domestic league doesn’t prepare them for continental challenges. Sometimes, I plan for European matches even during Turkish league games. But translating what we do here into European success is difficult.”

ON SET PIECES

“Set pieces are often discussed, but success depends on two key factors: the quality of delivery and heading ability. We lack strong headers of the ball. Arsenal, for instance, has many. In our squad, only one forward and one defender—Becao and Samet—excel at headers. With those two, we’d have three reliable options, but overall, we’re a short team. Our struggles in set pieces aren’t due to a lack of practice. Defensive teams often have taller players, like Göztepe. However, surprises can happen; maybe one of our shorter players will score from a set piece.”

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Mourinho revealed his emphasis on integrating academy players:

“Every week, academy players join our training sessions—sometimes the entire group, other times 2-3 individuals. This gives us a chance to identify and help the most promising talents. At previous clubs, the first team and academy were in the same facility, offering constant interaction. Zeki Murat Göle plays a crucial role in connecting me with the academy. There are players close to being first-team ready. For instance, consider Yusuf a first-team player. If you see him in the starting eleven, don’t be surprised; he’s very professional for his age and will only get better.”

ON CENK TOSUN

Mourinho praised Cenk Tosun, saying:

“Cenk is an excellent player. The difference between when he first joined and now is remarkable in terms of physicality and tempo. He’s more than ready to play, and he will score important goals. Yesterday, while warming up, we scored a goal, which I think was just a coincidence. The match was tough, but we were in control, even with our lack of options upfront. Had he come on, he’d have played 20-25 minutes due to stoppage time. He was happy with the win and said, ‘The team’s victory matters more than me playing.'”

ON DURSUN ÖZBEK’S REMARKS

Commenting on Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek’s controversial statement, Mourinho said:

“You can either laugh or cry at such remarks. I choose to laugh. When I saw how the global press covered it, I felt embarrassed and sorry for him.”

RELATIONSHIP WITH FATİH TERİM

Mourinho concluded by discussing his relationship with Fatih Terim:

“I hold Fatih in high regard. We faced off when I managed Real Madrid against Galatasaray. Some of my players later became his. During a holiday, he invited me to his home, and I met his wife. Since I arrived in Istanbul, we haven’t spoken, not even on the phone. He’s currently without a job, but I represent Fenerbahçe, and he represents Galatasaray, which might have created some distance. Talking about him returning to Galatasaray would be disrespectful to Okan Buruk.”