Rangers’ shock 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce in the Europa League has drawn notable reactions from Jose Mourinho.
Known for his psychological media tactics, Fenerbahce manager Mourinho’s comments and actions post-match provide insight into his mindset after the Turkish giants saw their 18-match unbeaten run ended in emphatic style by Barry Ferguson and Co.
Here’s a compilation of his most eye-catching remarks following the thrilling first leg tie in Istanbul:
On the performance: “We were very bad everywhere. I think it's not fair to say we were very bad in defence, because we were very bad everywhere."
On the result: “Maybe you laugh, but for me it was a good result, because the way we performed the result could be bigger than this.
"I know that Jack Butland made three fantastic saves. I know that there is, I think, a penalty, but to speak about the referee after this performance, I don't think it's ethical.
"The chances we had to score we didn't. The dynamic in midfield was not good. Defensively, we made incredible mistakes. We never controlled that.
"They defended a lot with the block very low, a good and dangerous counter-attack. So we deserve the punishment of this result."
"It's the only positive thing. And from this game, I don't take any positives. Everything went wrong.
Advice to Rangers: "The only thing I would tell them is don't celebrate too much, because there is a second match to play. It's my only advice. At the end of the second match they celebrate I will congratulate them, but now calm down. Because, it's not over."
Read more:
- 4 Rangers’ heroes: The players who humiliated Fenerbahçe in Istanbul
- Mourinho says he has ‘utmost respect’ for Celtic and Rangers
Cyriel Dessers praise: "Dessers is a good player. But today he looked like the best player in the world, but he is not."
Press conference antics: During the post-match press conference, Mourinho humorously pretended to fall asleep in response to a lengthy question, stating, “Oh, this is too much for my head. I’m tired man. 90 minutes, now to listen to all of this… I’m too tired for that.”
Mourinho’s reactions, blending candid assessments with psychological nuances, set the stage for an intriguing second leg at Ibrox next Thursday.
As always, his words add an extra layer of drama to the unfolding narrative.
