After a week filled with anticipation for the most significant match of the Turkish Super Lig season, the intense derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce concluded in a rather uneventful goalless draw.
Leading up to this highly charged rivalry, the spotlight was on Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, appointed by the Turkish Football Federation to officiate the match, marking a noteworthy milestone in Turkish football.
Fenerbahce had long advocated for a foreign referee to oversee this pivotal duel, and their request was ultimately granted. I’ll delve into the implications of this decision shortly.
As for the match itself, it was undoubtedly tense. Players from both teams and their supporters recognised the stakes; Fenerbahce had the opportunity to narrow the gap at the top to three points, while Galatasaray aimed to edge closer to their 25th Super Lig title with a win.
Both sets of players were understandably cautious, leading to a match that lacked action.
Although Galatasaray held the majority of possession, they struggled to penetrate a Fenerbahce side that was well-organised defensively, seemingly opting for a counter-attacking approach in hopes of snatching a goal.
Despite Galatasaray’s dominance, they failed to create any noteworthy chances, while Fenerbahce managed just one decent attempt, a header from Alexander Djiku that was expertly saved by Fernando Muslera.
In the end, it finished 0-0. The six-point buffer remains intact, but realistically, Galatasaray have mentally extended it to seven points, as they would win on a tiebreaker should they end up level on points.
Mario Lemina was superb in midfield for Galatasaray, delivering a commanding performance and effectively nullifying Fenerbahce’s midfield threat. He was nothing short of monstrous.
Fenerbahce’s 19-year-old centre-back Yusuf Akcicek was equally impressive alongside Milan Skriniar, handling the likes of Victor Osimhen and Baris Alper Yilmaz with commendable effectiveness.
Yusuf appears to be a thrilling young prospect, having been exceptional since his introduction to the side, earning praise from Jose Mourinho.
In a position where Turkey has struggled to develop talent, he could very well be a gem for the national team.
Okan Buruk’s team will be the happier of the two. They managed to navigate this tough fixture while maintaining their lead in the title race. A win would have been ideal, but a point is perfectly acceptable.
Fenerbahce may feel it was a missed opportunity. They had more momentum coming into the game, and Galatasaray’s recent European form hadn’t been strong, which might have presented a chance for a more aggressive approach that could have unsettled their rivals. But that’s Jose Mourinho for you; his tendency towards a defensive strategy was evident, and a more daring approach could have served them better.
This is also illustrated by their lacklustre performances against their key rivals, Galatasaray and Besiktas, where they’ve managed only one point and scored only from a penalty. It’s certainly food for thought for Mourinho.
Post-match, the Portuguese manager was visibly frustrated, expressing his disappointment during an uncharacteristically heated press conference where he took aim at the Turkish officials again.
Following the match, he stated: “After the game, I visited the referee’s room. After congratulating Vincic, I turned to the fourth official—a Turkish referee—and said, ‘If it were you (referring to all Turkish referees), this match would have been a catastrophe.“
Such behaviour is unacceptable, and it’s disheartening to see him repeatedly demean Turkish officials and the Super Lig.
He elaborated further, saying: “In an ideal world, this league should thrive. If Turkish referees can reflect on this referee’s performance and aspire to officiate with the same integrity and clarity, the season could unfold with excitement.
“However, if the circus we’ve observed since the start of the year persists, it will lead to different outcomes.“
Essentially, he insinuated that Turkish referees would allow Galatasaray to win the league if they continued to operate ‘uncleanly’, while foreign referees might tilt the balance in Fenerbahce’s favour. It’s a ludicrous scenario.
Galatasaray’s manager Okan Buruk also had his say on the referee and even took a swipe at Mourinho.
“It took him ages to start whining! He’s famous for that. He even went to the referee’s room to have a cry! Let him carry on with that.” he quipped.
“Vincic’s performance was worse than that of Turkish referees. He was visibly shaky during the match; it was quite unbelievable.” he added.
Personally, I felt Vincic did reasonably well, but given the match’s lack of incidents, there wasn’t much for him to manage.
This brings up an issue. Immediately after the game, Trabzonspor released a statement demanding Vincic’s officiating for their upcoming matches against Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
They have every justification for this demand. The TFF has created a difficult situation; all Turkish clubs are sensitive, anxious, and often critical of local referees, regardless of their performance. By acquiescing to Fenerbahce’s request for a foreign referee, the TFF has opened the floodgates for other clubs to make similar demands.
They ought to have stood firm, providing unwavering support for their referees. It’s critical to set boundaries, but now more clubs will likely follow suit and claim it’s unjust they don’t receive a foreign referee as well.
Galatasaray Accuses Mourinho of Racism
After a rather lacklustre match, the drama didn’t end there.
Later that evening, Galatasaray released a statement confirming they would file an official complaint to UEFA and FIFA against Jose Mourinho for alleged racism.
“Since taking charge in Türkiye, Fenerbahçe manager Jose Mourinho has repeatedly made disparaging remarks about the Turkish populace. Today, his language has escalated from being merely inappropriate to blatantly inhumane.“
This came after Mourinho referred to the Galatasaray bench as “jumping like monkeys.“
I’d like to clarify that I strongly oppose Mourinho’s continual belittling of Turkish football and its referees. It’s completely unacceptable.
However, I do not believe that his remark about the Galatasaray bench constitutes racism. When I first heard the interview, racism wasn’t even on my mind. I genuinely think he lacked any racist intent with his words, and it’s reasonable to interpret what he was trying to convey.
It’s disappointing that Galatasaray chose to issue such a statement following the match. While there’s a historic rivalry between the clubs, this isn’t the appropriate way to address grievances.
Racism isn’t something to trivialise; it’s a serious issue that affects many. Fabricating racism for leverage is irresponsible.
It’s one thing to criticise Mourinho for his conduct, but making these kinds of accusations is unnecessary.
Predictably, Fenerbahce released a statement in support of Mourinho.
“A remark made by Jose Mourinho post-match has been deliberately taken out of context and misrepresented in a misleading fashion.“
“Any reasonable observer can see that his comment was solely intended to highlight the exaggerated reactions of the opposing team’s technical staff concerning the referee’s decisions during the match. These remarks cannot, in any circumstances, be associated with racism.
“Any attempt to frame these comments as racist is wholly malicious.“
And with that, Galatasaray’s battles with Fenerbahce for this season have concluded. Securing four points from six against their fierce rivals is a meaningful boost for the defending champions in the title race.
However, there’s always a possibility they may meet again in the cup!
Highlight of the Week
Besiktas continued their impressive run under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a commanding 3-1 win at Eyupspor, climbing above their opponents into fourth place in the Super Lig.
In the same match, Eyupspor’s top-rated 24-year-old goalkeeper Berke Ozer further showcased his talent with a stunning reflex save.
Team of the Week
Teammate Edin Visca also features in the team after his goal and assist, while Besiktas’ Rafa Silva makes the cut after contributing a goal and two assists.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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