On March 7, Beijing time, Fenerbahce lost 3-1 at home to Glasgow Rangers in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals. After the game, Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho was interviewed by the media.
Mourinho said: “Although I think there should have been a penalty in the game, I don’t think it’s ethical to talk about referees considering the performance we had tonight. Our overall performance was very poor, we lost a lot of confrontations and we didn’t pass the ball quickly enough. I don’t like to talk about Fred [who was suspended] but he played very well in the previous games and the team showed great form when he came on.”
He further analysed: “I am not surprised by the performance of Rangers. If you listened to me yesterday, you will know that I have great respect for them. Clement, the former manager, was more about tactical ideas, but I know Ferguson will be more pragmatic. They have five defenders, three midfielders and two attacking players who focus on the counter-attack.”
Speaking about his team’s defensive problems, Mourinho said: “We made incredible mistakes in defence. Rangers contracted deep in defence and then threatened with quick counter-attacks and we couldn’t keep up with them at all. So, I have to admit that we do deserve this punishment.”
Finally, when asked if the game was over, Mourinho said firmly: “No, I don’t think it’s over like this. We still have a chance and we have to be ready for the next leg.”
