Former Super Eagles and Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel, has strongly dismissed claims by Galatasaray that Jose Mourinho is racist, calling the accusation baseless and a joke.
The controversy erupted after Mourinho’s post-match comments following Fenerbahçe’s goalless draw with Galatasaray on Monday.
The Portuguese manager, in his press conference, remarked that members of Galatasaray’s bench were “jumping like monkeys” while also criticizing Turkish referees, stating that using a local official would have been a “disaster.”
In response, Galatasaray accused Mourinho of making racist statements and announced plans to initiate criminal proceedings against him.
However, speaking on the Obi One Podcast, Mikel came to the defense of his former Chelsea manager, stating that Mourinho is not capable of racism.
“For them to label our African dad racist, for me, that’s a joke. Not Jose Mourinho, not someone that I know really well, someone we all know really well,” Mikel said.
“This is just football politics in Turkey. Mourinho is someone who loves everyone, a beautiful human being, the most straightforward person you can ever meet. He treated us like his own children.”
Mikel was not the only one to defend Mourinho. Didier Drogba, another Chelsea legend who also played for Galatasaray, dismissed the allegations.
On his X, handle, Drogba wrote:
*”Dear @GalatasaraySK, you know how proud I was to wear the yellow and red jersey and my love for the most decorated club in Turkey!! We all know how passionate and heated rivalries can be, and I’ve been lucky enough to experience it.
I’ve seen the recent comments about Jose Mourinho. Trust me when I tell you, I have known Jose for many years, and he is not a racist. History, both past and recent, is there to prove it.
Let’s focus on our games, support our brilliant lions, and let’s win the league to get closer to our five stars. How can my ‘Dad’ be a racist? Come on, guys.”*