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Jose Mourinho’s claims about Galatasaray have been backed up by a former employee of the Turkish club

Turkish football has long been plagued by allegations of match-fixing, referee bias, and corruption, with Galatasaray often at the center of controversy, especially after recent drama involving Fenerbahce and their head coach Jose Mourinho.

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Now, former Galatasaray and Besiktas winger Ryan Babel has added his voice to the debate, all but confirming what many, including Mourinho, have suspected for years.

Babel admits referees favoured Galatasaray

Speaking on a podcast hosted by John Obi Mikel, Babel opened up about the unspoken truths of Turkish football, particularly when it comes to referee influence in matches involving Turkey’s biggest clubs.

The Dutchman, who spent a decade playing in Türkey across four different clubs, did not hold back in his assessment.

“There are many things in the Turkish league that make you wonder, ‘What’s really going on here?’” Babel told Mikel, adding, “When you play away at Fenerbahçe or Galatasaray, you have to beat them, their fans, and the referee. If you don’t, you’ll see how the referees can act.”

While that statement alone was enough to ignite controversy, Babel took things even further by admitting that he believed Galatasaray benefited from referee assistance during his time at the club.

The former Liverpool forward said, “I played in Turkey for 10 years with four different teams. I must admit that during my time at Galatasaray, there were matches we won, and I knew we were lucky because the referee helped us a lot.”

Mourinho’s explosive claims gain more credibility

Babel’s remarks are likely to add more fuel to the ongoing match-fixing suspicions surrounding Galatasaray, particularly in light of recent accusations made by Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç.

Koç has openly questioned the legitimacy of Galatasaray’s past championships, claiming that referees have played a role in securing their titles.

Mourinho’s recent outbursts against VAR and officiating in Turkey have also not gone unnoticed. The Fenerbahçe boss, who was recently suspended and fined for criticising referees, did not mince words when addressing what he sees as a broken system.

“This league smells bad, and people around the world have no reason to watch it,” Mourinho declared after Fenerbahçe’s 3-2 win over Trabzonspor, a match marred by two controversial penalties awarded against his team.

With influential voices like Babel and Mourinho now openly discussing referee bias in Türkiye, the calls for an official investigation into the league’s integrity are growing louder.