Drama on the pitch: Mourinho, Gattuso intervene as friendly ft Super Eagles star ends in a fight

Fenerbahce and Jose Mourinho are still without a win under him.

Drama on the pitch: Mourinho, Gattuso intervene as friendly ft Super Eagles star ends in a fight

Izuchukwu Akawor • Izuchukwu Akawor • 12:12 - 12.07.2024

Gattuso and Mourinho were compelled to intervene and separate their players after a friendly match ended in a heated brawl.

It was meant to be a friendly match for Jose Mourinho’s boys, including a Super Eagles defender, to get a chance to get some pre-season action and build up their fitness. 

Pulse Sports reports that what unfolded on the pitch between Fenerbahce and Hajduk Split, however, was anything but friendly.

Mourinho and Gattuso as peacemakers

The game, which saw Nigerian international and Super Eagles defender Bright Osayi-Samuel take the field for Fenerbahce, quickly descended into chaos as tempers flared between the two sides. 

Osayi-Samuel had put on an impressive display, but it was the Croatian side, managed by Serie A legend Gennaro Gattuso, who emerged victorious with a 1-0 win.

Jose Mourinho is still without a win as Fenerbahce's new boss after two matches.
Jose Mourinho is still without a win as Fenerbahce's new boss after two matches. (Photo Credit: X)

However, the match was overshadowed by a vicious brawl that broke out between the players in the first half. 

The scenes were so intense that the legendary duo of Gattuso and Fenerbahce's new boss, Jose Mourinho, were forced to step in and physically separate their respective players.

Serie A great Gennaro Gattuso.
Serie A great Gennaro Gattuso.

A video clip that has since gone viral on social media shows Gattuso, his face contorted with fury, pushing away a couple of his players who had confronted a Fenerbahce player. 

At the same time, Mourinho can be seen pleading with his players to calm down and avoid further escalation.

Despite the unsavoury scenes, Osayi-Samuel managed to put in a standout performance, completing the most dribbles, winning the most duels, and maintaining a pass accuracy of 91%. 

The Nigerian also won two tackles and made three recoveries, highlighting his immense talent and work rate on the pitch.

Bright Osayi-Samuel was a standout performer for Fenerbahce in the game.
Bright Osayi-Samuel was a standout performer for Fenerbahce in the game. (Photo Credit: S Sport/X)

The incident comes just a month after Gattuso, a former Milan and Napoli coach, was appointed by Croatian side Hajduk Split, while Mourinho recently signed a two-year contract with Turkish giants Fenerbahce. 

The two legendary managers, known for their fiery personalities, will be hoping to harness their players' passion and channel it in a more constructive manner going forward.

Jose Mourinho was recently unveiled as new Fenerbahce boss. (Photo Credit: Fenerbahce/X)

For Mourinho, the heated friendly clash represents another setback in his quest to get Fenerbahce off to a winning start.

 The former Roma boss is still searching for his first victory as the club's manager, but he will undoubtedly be determined to steer his team in the right direction and bring success to the Turkish side.

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