After Fenerbahce’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Trabzonspor on Sunday, manager Jose Mourinho didn’t hold back in his criticism of the officiating, particularly VAR official Atilla Karaoglan. Sofyan Amrabat scored the decisive goal in the 12th minute of stoppage time, sparking a heated response from Mourinho, who expressed frustration over what he saw as biased officiating.
The game saw Trabzonspor awarded two penalty goals after VAR reviews, while Fenerbahce’s own appeals, including a handball claim in the final minutes, went unanswered. “Man of the match: Atilla Karaoglan,” Mourinho said bluntly, suggesting the VAR official, not the on-field referee, had undue influence on the game. “We don’t want him as VAR again; it smells bad,” he added, hinting at a bias against his team.
Mourinho’s comments conveyed a sense of battling against what he described as “the system.” Speaking to beIN Sports Türkiye, he shared his belief that Fenerbahce was not only playing against their opponent but also struggling with the officiating structure. “Tonight we played against a good team, a tough atmosphere, and the system,” he said. “That’s why we celebrated so much—winning against so many powerful forces felt unbelievable.”
Reflecting on his expectations upon joining Fenerbahce, Mourinho admitted he had been told only “half the truth” about the league’s challenges, implying he hadn’t anticipated this level of struggle. Beyond the match’s officiating, he voiced disappointment over multiple missed calls, including a potential red card for a tackle on Fenerbahce’s Bright Osayi-Samuel, adding that Karaoglan was “too busy drinking Turkish tea” to intervene in these instances.
Fenerbahce’s victory keeps them second in the Super Lig, five points behind leaders Galatasaray. The team will now shift its focus to their upcoming Europa League clash against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, with Mourinho’s words leaving Turkish football fans and officials questioning the state of the league’s officiating standards.