Two former Manchester United managers, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and José Mourinho, are set to clash in what is being called the Turkish Derby.
Ole is now the manager of Beşiktaş, while Mourinho currently manages Fenerbahçe. The Turkish Derby is one of the most, if not the most, heated rivalries in football. Although I maintain that the rivalry between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray is the fiercest—especially with up to 30,000 Turkish police officers present at one of their matches—any derby between Fenerbahçe or Beşiktaş and Galatasaray is bound to be extremely heated. When you're on top, nobody likes you, and right now, Galatasaray are leading the league and are on track for their third consecutive Turkish Süper Lig title. With a win against Sivasspor, they can extend their lead even further.
Now, back to the Turkish Derby. It will take place this Sunday at 5:00 PM W.A.T., and the stakes are high.
Recalling the tension that already existed between the two teams before José and Ole arrived, there have also been notable moments of friction between Mourinho and Solskjær in the Premier League.
José Mourinho managed Manchester United from 2016-2018, winning one Europa League, one Carabao Cup, and one Community Shield. Ole took over as caretaker coach in December 2018 after Mourinho's sacking and was eventually appointed permanent manager in March 2019. While Ole didn't win any major trophies during his time, he did finish second in the 2020/21 Premier League season before being sacked in November 2021.
After Mourinho's departure from United, he was appointed as manager of spurs. During his time at spurs, there were two notable encounters between him and Ole. The first occurred when United won 3-1 against Spurs, with Ole seen patting Mourinho's head after the match.Sure, it might have been a harmless gesture. But fans like you and I believe what they want to believe.
The second time they met, Tottenham humiliated United 6-1. After the match, Mourinho made sure to pat Ole's head again, but this time, he looked directly at the camera. Of course, you know Mourinho, the Special One—he was definitely mocking Ole.
Now both managers are at currently coaching two of Turkey's biggest clubs. Ole was appointed in January 2025, while José joined Fenerbahçe in June 2024.
Away from the rivalry between the two managers, both teams are desperate for the win. Fenerbahçe needs to keep up with Galatasaray and hope they slip, while Beşiktaş, currently in third place, aims to secure a Europa League qualification. A victory over Fenerbahçe in Week 34 could be the deciding factor.
Interestingly, Beşiktaş was the only team to defeat Galatasaray, ending their 28-match unbeaten run. Of course, we all know Ole likes unbeaten teams, but Fenerbahçe isn't one of them after being thoroughly trashed by Galatasaray twice.
Still, Ole vs Mourinho. Fenerbahçe vs Beşiktaş. Yeah, I’m definitely watching this one
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