Galatasaray pip Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce to Super Lig title with two matches to spare

Galatasaray secured their third consecutive Super Lig title on Sunday, consigning Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce to a second-placed finish and a trophyless season.

Okan Buruk’s side clinched the title with a 3-0 win over Kayserispor, maintaining their eight-point lead over Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce with two matches remaining.    Sunday’s victory was Galatasaray’s ninth in succession; they last tasted defeat against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Besiktas on March 29. It also secured a domestic double for Buruk’s team after winning the Turkish Cup for the first time since 2019 with a 3-0 win over Trabzonspor in the final on Wednesday.

Galatasaray’s slight lead over Fenerbahce in the title race was grew after Mourinho’s side were held to a 3-3 draw by Kayserispor on April 20, two weeks before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Besiktas. As a result, Mourinho ends his debut season in Turkey without silverware. 

His side were knocked out of the Europa League following a 4-3 aggregate defeat to Rangers in the round-of-16, while they also fell to a 2-1 defeat against Galatasaray in the Turkish Cup quarter-finals. That match subsequently descended into controversy after Mourinho appeared to pinch Buruk’s nose in a post-match altercation, resulting in a three-match touchline ban and 292,500 Turkish Lira (£5,975; $7,699) fine for the former Manchester United and Chelsea head coach.

Striker Victor Osimhen, on loan from Italian side Napoli, has been at the centre of Galatasaray’s success this season. He netted his 25th league goal of the season on Sunday, taking his tally to 35 in all competitions. Galatasaray are the most successful club in Super Lig history with 25 titles. Fenerbahce are the next most successful club with 19 titles, while Besiktas have won 16.