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Mourinho becomes VAR ‘man of the match’ after Fenerbahce win
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Mourinho becomes VAR ‘man of the match’ after Fenerbahce win

Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho said the video assistant referee had gone from being the invisible man to the most important man on the pitch after several controversial decisions went against his team during his 3-2 Super Lig victory at Trabzonspor on Sunday.

Trabzonspor were awarded two penalties in the second half following VAR interventions, and with the score tied 2-2 late in the match, Mourinho was furious when a challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel went unpunished.

The Portuguese coach suggested VAR Atilla Karaoglan missed the incident because he was drinking coffee.

Although late penalty requests were turned down, the visitors secured victory when Sofyan Amrabat scored deep into stoppage time, prompting the former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager to rush onto the field to celebrate with a knee slide.

“The referee was just a little boy who was there on the pitch, but the referee was Atilla Karaoglan, so the man of the match,” Mourinho told beIN Sports Turkiye.

“He goes from the invisible man to the most important man in the game.”

Mourinho says Karaoglan should never be involved in refereeing another Fenerbahce match.

“Isn’t there a red card for Bright, Karaoglan was what, drinking coffee at that time, he didn’t see this red card for this player?” he said.

“He was careful to give the two penalty decisions (to Trabzonspor) when the referee didn’t give it, then he was having Turkish tea when it was a clear penalty for us and he didn’t give it.

“I think I speak for all Fenerbahce fans, we don’t want him anymore.”