By GETHIN HICKS, TRAINEE REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has incredibly claimed that he ‘doesn’t know’ who the vice-president of his club is.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United boss made the surprising admission during a press conference ahead of his side’s trip to Lisbon to face Benfica on Wednesday in a Champions League qualifier.
The Turkish giants, who boast former Premier League stars Fred and Davinson Sanchez, head into the second leg with the tie well and truly in the balance following a goalless draw in Istanbul.
But ahead of the crunch match, Fenerbahce vice-president Hamdi Akin claimed his side would ‘easily’ breeze past their opponents in an entirely arrogant statement – which doesn’t seem to have gone down well with Mourinho.
The legendary manager was asked about Akin’s comments in a press conference on Wednesday, prompting a blunt response.
‘Believe it or not, but I don’t know who he is,’ Mourinho said.
Jose Mourinho has incredibly claimed that he ‘doesn’t know’ who Fenerbahce vice-president Hamdi Akin is
It came after Akin [pictured right] claimed his side would beat Benfica ‘easily’ on Wednesday
Mourinho’s Fenerbahce face the Portuguese giants in the second leg of a Champions League qualifier tonight after drawing 0-0 in Istanbul
‘I don’t know this person, nor his influence, let alone his important in the structure of the club.
‘No one has ever introduced me.’
It’s a surprising statement from the former Tottenham Hotspur boss given Akin was part of a Fenerbahce leadership team which adamantly defended Mourinho after he was accused of making ‘racist statements’ by Galatasaray earlier this year.
Mourinho had made claims about the Galatasaray bench ‘jumping like monkeys’ after his side were held to a 0-0 draw by them back in February, as well as arguing the match was officiated better because the referee was not Turkish.
Galatasaray announced they intended to ‘initiate criminal proceedings concerning racist statements made by Mourinho’ following the fixture.
A statement released by Fenerbahce in the wake of the claims defended Mourinho, describing their Istanbul rivals’ statement as ‘pathetic’.
It read: ‘This statement has become necessary regarding a topic that has been on the agenda after the match played between our football team and Galatasaray.
‘A statement made by Jose Mourinho after the match was taken completely out of context and deliberately distorted.
Akin was part of a Fenerbahce leadership team who defended Mourinho after he was accused of making ‘racist statements’ earlier this year
Mourinho had accused Galatasaray’s bench of ‘jumping like monkeys’ after a fiery 0-0 draw back in February
‘As every common sense person can see and understand, these expressions, used by Jose Mourinho to describe the extreme reaction of the opposing team’s technical staff to the referee’s decisions during the match, can in no way be associated with racism.
‘Trying to portray this discourse as racist is a completely malevolent approach. We would like to inform the public that we will exercise our legal rights regarding this pathetic slander that aims to take the competition out of the field, change the agenda and manipulate it.’
Mourinho was also defended by Fenerbahce vice-president Acun Ilicali, who told Sky Sports News: ‘Jose Mourinho is just describing the emotion of the bench by using the word monkey, that’s all.
‘When I say you are running like a rabbit, I don’t say that you are a rabbit. So when I say you are jumping like a monkey, it doesn’t mean you are a monkey.
‘You can clearly understand that Jose Mourinho had no intention to be racist, in the words or behind the words or around the words.
‘As a club I can clearly say that we are behind our coach, we are supporting him 100 per cent.’
Mourinho was ultimately handed a four-match ban for his comments and a fine of over £35,000 by the Turkish Football Federation,
His Fenerbahce side face Benfica at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday evening.
