Jose Mourinho Criticizes Referees After Eyüpspor Draw: “Penalties Would Be Given for Other Teams!”

Addressing the events in the tunnel during halftime, Mourinho said, “It was like a rebellion, with 200 people fighting. No one hit the referee, but you can imagine the atmosphere there.”

Match Summary

In Week 17 of the Trendyol Süper Lig, Fenerbahçe dropped two critical points in the title race after a 1-1 draw against Eyüpspor. The match at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Stadium began evenly, with Ahmed Kutucu scoring for the home team in the 26th minute. Fenerbahçe quickly regained composure and pressed forward, eventually finding the equalizer in stoppage time of the first half (45+4) through Youssef En-Nesyri. The teams went into halftime tied 1-1.

In the second half, Fenerbahçe started strongly but struggled to create significant scoring opportunities. In the 65th minute, Dusan Tadic’s shot hit the post. Despite exerting pressure late in the match, Fenerbahçe couldn’t find a winning goal, and the match ended in a draw.

Mourinho’s Analysis

During the post-match press conference, Mourinho highlighted his team’s underwhelming performance and individual mistakes, saying:

“We made too many silly errors that affected our collective play. This was a weak performance, and if you look at how much of the game was actually played, it’s clear we were below our level. We lost the ball too often and made mistakes that I’d call foolish.”

He also expressed frustration with the officiating:
“In the tunnel at halftime, after what happened, it became complicated for the referee in the second half. If the penalties on the field were for another team, they would have been given. It’s tough to be a referee in this country. I’ve worked in Portugal, Italy, England, and Spain, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Mourinho further criticized his team’s decision-making, saying, “Everyone knows you can’t be offside from a throw-in, but it seemed like my players didn’t. If they had played forward in one instance, they would have been one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Our performance was weak, and the referee was part of that weak match.”

Transfer Discussions

When asked about potential transfers during the January window, Mourinho declined to comment in detail, saying it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss transfers after such a disappointing result.

On Eyüpspor and Arda Turan

Mourinho also remarked on Eyüpspor’s tactics, stating:
“Eyüpspor didn’t play to achieve a result, and Arda Turan should forgive me for saying this. It’s not the type of football you expect. Referees can interpret the same situations differently, and these decisions have point implications. Still, we need to be stronger than we were today.”

Fenerbahçe’s Objectives

Regarding Fenerbahçe’s objectives for the season, Mourinho said the title race is still open:
“I don’t believe anyone can convince me we don’t have a chance. The league is still wide open. As for the cup competitions, our participation depends on the club‘s decisions. I’ve won domestic cups in every country I’ve worked in—Portugal, Italy, England, and Spain. I’d like to win here as well, but we need to progress step by step.”

In the UEFA Europa League, Mourinho noted:
“We’re not clubs like Manchester United, Tottenham, or Roma, who are perennial contenders in these tournaments. For now, our focus is on getting 3 points from the next two matches and advancing.”

Tunnel Incidents

Finally, Mourinho addressed the chaotic scenes in the tunnel at halftime:
“It was as if there was a rebellion, with 200 people fighting. No one struck the referee, but you can imagine the atmosphere there. The police were calm and professional; they did their job well.”