As Mourinho’s Reputation Wanes and a New Controversy Emerges, His Legacy in Turkey Is at Risk

In the derby held on Wednesday between Istanbul’s football powerhouses Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, the so-called ‘Special One’ failed to redeem himself after the earlier loss to their rivals, as the match at Rams Park swung in favour of Galatasaray.

While a 0-0 draw doesn’t count as a win, when examining the league standings, it appears that Jose Mourinho’s tactical approach might have surrendered the championship. The team’s ongoing lack of intensity in crucial matches has been a prevailing issue this season.

Reflecting on the recent derby, it epitomised Fenerbahce’s season thus far. Under Mourinho’s management, they’ve faced four draws alongside two defeats, amassing 18 victories this season. However, timing proves to be a critical aspect of this narrative.

During fixtures where Fenerbahce struggled to put the ball in the back of the net, Galatasaray’s zest for the game was palpable, as they consistently secured three points, creating a wider gap from their fierce rivals. As a result, Fenerbahce will once again have to wait for their first championship title since the 2013/14 season, a fate that even the Special One cannot alter.

Monday night’s encounter illustrated this perfectly. In a game where Galatasaray’s primary objective was to display their commitment to their supporters and possibly score a win, the visitors lacked passion on the pitch. The individual talent within Mourinho’s squad was visible, but they failed to coordinate effectively as a team. In stark contrast, the entire Galatasaray squad rallied in celebration after each of Fernando Muslera’s saves.

Adding to the drama, Mourinho’s remark describing the Galatasaray bench as “monkeys jumping around” led to his legacy as one of the most statistically successful coaches beginning to unravel, with criminal proceedings set to be initiated by both UEFA and FIFA in response to his comments.

In their defence, Galatasaray asserted that Mourinho has “regularly made disrespectful comments about the Turkish people throughout his coaching career in Turkey” and that he has now crossed a line.

A Pivotal Moment in the Season

Currently sitting six points ahead of Fenerbahce, Galatasaray has already navigated the most significant match of the latter part of the season. For the table leaders, to rekindle any excitement in the title race, mistakes will need to be made, and so far, they have been virtually flawless this season.

Next Sunday, they will take on Kasimpasa, a team that has managed to score at Rams Park, bolstered by the support of their home crowd. A draw might be the highest aspiration for them, although that seems rather unrealistic.

Fenerbahce, on the other hand, will host Antalyaspor before facing third-placed Samsunspor in two and a half weeks’ time.

This season, Mourinho may have little left to achieve in the Super Lig, but he could still provoke envy in Galatasaray with a strong performance in the Europa League.

Galatasaray, having been eliminated following a disappointing defeat to AZ Alkmaar, might see this as a silver lining in their pursuit of the league title. With their focus now solely on domestic competitions, they could even aspire to replicate an unbeaten season, reminiscent of their 1985/86 campaign.