Mourinho: They accused me of racism, but the arrow rebounded on them

Jose Mourinho, the head coach of Turkish club Fenerbahce, broke his silence to respond to the racist accusations directed at him following his statements in the Istanbul derby against Galatasaray, confirming that he does not regret what he said.

Mourinho emphasized that the attack on him was not smart, saying: "They don't know me well, and they don't know my deep connection to Africa, whether with African players or charitable institutions there; instead of the attack being against me, I think it rebounded on them."

He added: "Everyone knows who I am as a person, and they know my flaws, but racism is not one of them; rather the opposite is true. The important thing is that I know myself, and the accusation of racism was a bad choice on their part."

When asked if he regretted describing the behavior of Galatasaray's coach, Okan Buruk, and his assistants on the sidelines as jumping like monkeys, Mourinho replied after a moment of thought: "I cannot stoop to the level of Okan Buruk; sometimes I do, and then I ask myself, 'Why did I do that, Jose? Why did I descend to this level?' It was sad."

Mourinho expressed his gratitude for the support he received, saying: "I thank everyone who did not hesitate to speak out publicly, especially former players like Didier Drogba and Michael Essien; their voices were very important."

He pointed out that this support sparked angry reactions among Galatasaray fans, leading to Drogba's jerseys being burned by the crowd.

He also spoke about the reduction of his suspension from four matches to just two, noting the role of social media in that: "On the day my penalty was confirmed, it became apparent to everyone that the head of the disciplinary committee was celebrating among his friends wearing a Galatasaray shirt; only here can you grasp the dimensions of this issue."

Regarding the possibility of facing his former team Roma in the Europa League, Mourinho said: "I never feel a desire for revenge; I have never had that feeling. When I leave a club, I prefer to remember the good times I had there."

Mourinho also touched on Manchester United's coach, Ruben Amorim, with whom he previously worked when he was a player, saying: "We haven't spoken since he took over the team, except for exchanging greetings at Christmas, but he is a good person and always respectful to me, and I wish him success."

As for the new owner of Manchester United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and the recent dismissals at the club, the Portuguese coach commented: "Honestly, I don't know much about it, but I know Ratcliffe; we are not close friends, but we have a good relationship. He has invited me to his home several times, and I see him as a good person and a great businessman."

Mourinho concluded his statements, saying: "Of course, I feel sad for some people who lost their jobs, but I hope things go in the right direction."