José Mourinho is in hot water again. The Portuguese coach was just handed a three-game ban after a heated exchange with Galatasaray’s coach Okan Buruk. This comes on the heels of allegations of racist behavior, which he was recently cleared of.
The incident that led to the ban happened after Fenerbahçe’s loss to Galatasaray in the Turkish Cup quarterfinals. Mourinho was seen gesturing to Buruk, which some interpreted as aggressive. But the Turkish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee took into account that Buruk’s pre-match comments might have provoked Mourinho.
The tension between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray is palpable. While Mourinho complains about the lack of protection for his team, there’s talk of his possible dismissal. If that happens, it would cost the club a pretty penny – around 40 million euros, the largest payout he’s ever received.
Some Fenerbahçe executives think Mourinho’s behavior is unacceptable for a club of their stature. The final decision rests with president Ali Koç. He must weigh the benefits of letting Mourinho go against the hefty price tag.
Mourinho insists the title race is still on, despite Fenerbahçe trailing by six points with a game in hand. The club hasn’t won the Turkish championship since 2013-2014, and Galatasaray is pulling ahead with 23 titles to Fenerbahçe’s 19.
The numbers are staggering. If Mourinho is fired, his total payout would be around 135 million euros, making him the champion of severance packages. Here’s a breakdown of his past payouts:
- Chelsea (2007): 20.9 million euros
- Real Madrid (2013): 19.7 million euros
- Chelsea (2015): 9.6 million euros
- Manchester United (2018): 22 million euros
- Tottenham (2021): 17.4 million euros
- Roma (2024): 3.5 million euros
- Total: 93.1 million euros
The question is, will Fenerbahçe decide it’s worth the cost to part ways with the Special One? Only time will tell.