Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has slammed former Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho, saying he was better than him in their heated rivalry and the Portuguese has not ‘upgraded himself as a coach.’
Mourinho joined Fenerbahce in June last year and was eventually sacked in August 2025 after failing to make the Champions League group stage thanks to a defeat to Benfica.
In a strange twist of fate he has since joined Benfica, taking charge of them in the Champions League instead.
Under Mourinho Fenerbahce finished second in the Super Lig, but did not really challenge Galatasaray, who ended the season 11 points clear of them.
Galatasaray also knocked Fenerbahce out of the Turkish Cup in a feisty game which saw Mourinho grab Buruk’s nose after the final whistle, with the Turkish manager throwing himself on the floor as a result.
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Buruk does not have fond memories of Mourinho, but did very much enjoy getting the better of him on the field.
‘He doesn’t just play inside the pitch. He wants to play outside the pitch too,’ Buruk told The Athletic. ‘He tried a lot of things, but in the end, we were better than him. I was better than him. We won the title against him.’
Suggesting Mourinho’s powers are diminishing significantly, he said: ‘He’s not focused like before. He doesn’t think about football like before.
‘He has never changed his style as a coach. He is a really important character, he has really important charisma, but in terms of football, we have to upgrade ourselves every year.
‘Maybe the problem for him is that he hasn’t upgraded himself as a coach.’
On that remarkable exchange with Mourinho in April which left Buruk lying on the ground, he now admits: ‘I was like a player, I fell down! I exaggerated a little bit.
‘I didn’t expect something like this from him. I was shaking hands with the referees, I was going to the other side and I was celebrating our victory, and he came to me. Normally, we would see each other after the game to shake hands.’
Both Mourinho and Buruk face Premier League opposition on Tuesday night as Benfica go to Chelsea and Galatasaray host Liverpool in the Champions League.
On taking on the Premier League champions, Buruk said: ‘It’s important not to show fear, to show this unity, and to think the same way when we have the ball and when the opponent has the ball.
‘They’re especially good with the ball, but they’re incredibly quick in transition. We’ll consider all of this, as well as our opponent’s attacking strengths, and take precautions against them.
‘We’ll give it our all and try to put the opponent in a difficult situation. Judging by Liverpool’s performance against Crystal Palace, the first half might have ended 5-0. But they’re not really that kind of team.
‘Players can play poorly, there can be bad matches, bad plans, and there can be moments where the opponent is better. So, instead of focusing on players, we need to look at the team.
‘Galatasaray needs to clearly demonstrate its identity starting tomorrow. That’s why I have expectations not from one player, but from all players.’