Mourinho blasts Turkish refs in ferocious rant

Jose Mourinho did not hold back in a ferocious rant following Fenerbahce’s 3-2 Super Lig win against Trabzonspor on Sunday, accusing the VAR of drinking tea instead of officiating and saying he would not have joined the club had he known “the full truth” about refereeing in Turkey.

Trabzonspor were awarded two penalties in the second half following VAR interventions, and with the score tied at 2-2 late in the game Mourinho was incensed when a challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel went unpunished.

The Portuguese coach suggested the VAR, Atilla Karaoglan, had missed the incident as he was drinking tea.

Despite having late penalty claims waved away, the visitors got the win when Sofyan Amrabat scored deep into stoppage time, prompting the former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager to race onto the pitch to celebrate with a knee slide.

“I blame the Fenerbahce people that brought me here,” Mourinho told beIN Sports Turkiye in a lengthy rant. “They told me only half of the truth.

“They didn’t tell me the whole truth because if they told me the whole truth, I wouldn’t come. But, with half of the truth and my boys, we fight opponents and the system.”

Mourinho added that Karaoglan should never be involved in officiating another Fenerbahce game.

“The referee was just a little boy that was there on the pitch, but the referee was Atilla Karaoglan, so man of the match,” he said.

“He goes from the invisible man to the most important man in the match.

“Isn’t a red card on Bright, Karaoglan was what, drinking tea at that time, didn’t see that red card for that player?” he added.

“He was alert to give the two penalty decisions [to Trabzonspor] when the referee didn’t give, then was having Turkish tea when it was a clear penalty for us and did not give it.

“I think I am speaking on behalf of every Fenerbahce fan, we don’t want him again.”

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.