Jose Mourinho: Didier Drogba defends former manager and insists the Portuguese is “not a racist”

Didier Drogba has defended his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, insisting the Portuguese is “not a racist”.

Galatasaray accused Fenerbahce manager Mourinho of making “racist statements” following the goalless draw between the Turkish Super Lig rivals on Monday.

It was not clear which statements Galatasaray referred to but, speaking after the Istanbul derby, Mourinho said the home bench had been “jumping like monkeys”.

But Drogba, who scored 20 goals in 53 appearances for Galatasaray in the 2013-14 season, offered support of Mourinho, who was his boss during two spells at Chelsea.

“You know how proud I was to wear the yellow and red jersey and my love for the most decorated club in Turkey!!,” the former Ivory Coast striker posted on X.

“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 25 years and he is not a racist and history [past and recent] is there to prove it.

“How can my “Dad” be a racist. Come on guys.”

Former Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid manager Mourinho took charge of Fenerbahce in June 2024 after leaving Roma.

Before the Galatasaray encounter, he also repeated criticism of Turkish referees, saying it would have been a “disaster” to use an official from the country.

Slovenian Slavko Vincic was the referee after both clubs requested a foreign official take charge of the fixture.