‘Fenerbahce has never done it before’: Mourinho chases miracle against Rangers

Türkiye’s Fenerbahce is set to face Scotland’s Rangers in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, as Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho aims to overturn the Yellow Canaries’ poor record of European comebacks—something the club has never achieved before.

In the first-leg match held at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul on Mar. 6, Rangers secured a surprising victory, halting Fenerbahce’s impressive form in recent weeks. The Turkish side had been on an 18-game unbeaten streak before the defeat.

“I think Rangers is not a better team than us,” Mourinho said during a press conference on Wednesday. “We are prepared for Rangers to try to play the same way, in a low block, waiting for our mistake, counter-attacking,” he added, referring to the Scottish club’s strategy, which capitalized on individual errors to score twice in the first leg.

Fenerbahce’s must-win mission

Fenerbahce needs to win by at least three goals to secure a place in the quarterfinals, while a two-goal victory would force extra time.

Ahead of the crucial match, Caglar Soyuncu remains the only confirmed absentee because of injury, while Allan Saint-Maximin has been left out by the coaching staff. Additionally, Oguz Aydin, Diego Carlos, and Levent Mercan were not registered in Fenerbahce’s UEFA squad.

The high-stakes clash will take place at the 50,000-seat Ibrox Stadium, with Norwegian referee Espen Eskas officiating. The winner of this tie will face the victor of the Athletic Bilbao vs. Roma match in the quarterfinals.

Mourinho at the center of Turkish football’s biggest debate

Beyond European competition, Mourinho remains a key figure in ongoing debates surrounding Turkish football, particularly regarding controversial referee performances.

Speaking to skysports.com ahead of the match, he claimed that Fenerbahce faces challenges beyond the pitch in its pursuit of the league title, describing the domestic football landscape as “spoiled.”

“We have found good stability on the pitch, but everybody knows in this country that, if things don’t change, it is impossible to win the league title,” Mourinho said.

Fenerbahce, one of Türkiye’s most renowned football clubs with an estimated 35 million fans nationwide, has not won the Super Lig title since the 2013-2014 season, despite securing the earliest championship victory in Turkish football history that year.

However, in terms of overall league performance over the last five seasons, Fenerbahce has outperformed its rivals, collecting a total of 387 points in 186 league matches, five more than its archrival Galatasaray. Yet, despite this dominance, Fenerbahce has not won a single league title in this period, while Galatasaray has claimed two championships.

“I think about the 35 million fans that Fenerbahce has in Türkiye, and I think about the reasons why Fenerbahce has not won a title for so many years,” Mourinho remarked. “I work for them.”

With 26 matchweeks played out of 36 in the Turkish Super Lig, defending champions Galatasaray lead the standings with 68 points, while Fenerbahce sits second with 61 points, but with one game in hand.