Jose Mourinho: Racism accusations backfired - Galatasaray didn't know my African connections

Jose Mourinho has spoken for the first time, exclusively to Sky Sports News, about the racism allegation made against him.

Despite the furore, he says he felt calm and relaxed throughout because he feels the allegation, made by Galatasaray after the Istanbul derby with his Fenerbahce side, backfired.

"They were not clever in the way they attacked me, because they didn't know my past," he says.

"They didn't know my connections with Africa, with African people and African players and African charities.

"So instead of going against me, I think it boomeranged and went against them.

"Everyone knows who I am as a person. Everybody knows my bad qualities, but that is not one of my bad qualities. Exactly the opposite!

"The most important thing is I know who I am, and the attack accusing racism was a bad choice."

On the accusation, he says: "I just felt: how could they go so low?"

Mourinho, in the press conference after the 0-0 draw last Monday, accused the Galatasaray bench of "jumping like monkeys" to try and get his 19-year-old central defender Yusuf Akcicek sent off early in the game.

He was referring to head coach Okan Buruk.

I ask whether, in hindsight, Mourinho regrets the words he used. Was the choice of words clumsy?

Mourinho paused for a moment and thought. Then he shook his head, because he found Buruk's touchline antics hard to take.

"I cannot drop to his level," he says.

"Sometimes I do, and I ask myself, 'Why did you do it Jose? Why did you drop to that level?'"

He thinks a bit more. Then adds: "It was just sad."

• Mourinho open to managing Celtic or Rangers in the future
• Europa League fixtures & results | How the league phase finished
• Rangers' US takeover agreed in principle
• 'Frustrated' Philippe Clement: Rangers 'hold special place in my heart' despite sacking
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW ?

He is grateful for the support he has had from people he knows, and people he does not.

"Probably even from people who don't like me the support was there," he says.

"I thank the people who didn't have a problem to speak [out], especially my boys, my former players. They were a very important voice."

He means of course Chelsea title winners Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, who went onto social media to support their former manager.

As a result some Galatasaray fans took to the streets to burn Drogba shirts. He played 53 times for the club.

On the subject of shirts, Mourinho has a view on why his four-match ban was reduced, so quickly, to two matches.

Social media played its part.

"On the day my [four-match] ban was decided it comes to public eyes that the chief of the disciplinary committee is celebrating among friends with a Galatasaray shirt on," he says.

"Only here you can understand the dimension of it."

Sky Sports News has contacted the Turkish Football Federation for comment.

So Mourinho's domestic ban is served. He can return to the domestic dugout.

He was always going to be in the technical area in Europe.

If Fenerbahce progress from the Europa League last 16 by beating Rangers, it could turn into a Jose Mourinho revenge tour.

Roma in the quarter-finals, maybe. Manchester United in the semi-finals, maybe. Spurs in the final, maybe.

Mourinho, though, is not thinking that way.

"In my mind I never feel about revenge. I never have that feeling because when I leave a club, I prefer to remember my good times at the club," he adds.

One of those clubs is Manchester United of course.

So what does Mourinho make of the goings on at Old Trafford?

On Ruben Amorim, who he helped tutor as a young coach, he says they have not spoken since he took the United job, apart from Christmas greetings.

But he is not enjoying watching him struggle.

"He's a good kid. Always very respectful to me. We had a good relationship for a few years. He knows I wish him well."

And on Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and those job losses?

"To be honest I don't know much about what's happening," he says.

"I know Sir Jim Ratcliffe. I'm not saying we are big friends but we have a good relationship. I know him well. He invited me to his house a couple of times. I see him as a good person and a great businessman.

"Of course, I feel for some of the people that I know [losing their jobs], but hopefully it goes in the right direction."

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Jose Mourinho: Racism accusations backfired - Galatasaray didn't know my African connections