Mourinho Criticises Refereeing in Rangers Match
The Portuguese manager claims that his team was denied three clear penalty calls in the return leg at Ibrox
Mourinho Criticises Refereeing in Rangers Match
Mourinho Slams Refereeing Decisions in Fenerbahce’s Europa League Exit
Speaks Out: “I Hope It’s Just Coincidence”
Jose Mourinho (62) has publicly criticised the refereeing and VAR decisions during Fenerbahce’s controversial Europa League defeat to Rangers.
He believes these decisions significantly impacted the outcome of the match and their elimination from the competition.
Fenerbahce Draws Level on Aggregate, but Rangers Win on Penalties
After Rangers won the first leg 3-1 in Istanbul, Fenerbahce managed to pull back to a 3-3 aggregate score, securing a 2-0 victory in regular time at Ibrox.
The match was decided by a penalty shootout, where Rangers triumphed 3-2, progressing to the next round of the Europa League.
Mourinho Criticises Refereeing Decisions: "I Hope It's Just Bad Luck"
In a post-match interview, Mourinho expressed his concern that the controversial officiating could be linked to his previous suspension after the 2023 Europa League final.
“I hope everything that has happened in European competitions isn’t a consequence of the final in Budapest. I’ve paid for that suspension, and I want to believe it was just bad luck. But today, with one of the best VAR referees, we didn’t get any of the three penalties. I hope it’s just a coincidence.”
Mourinho Reflects on Roma's 2023 Europa League Final Loss
In the 2022-2023 season, AS Roma, coached by Mourinho, lost the Europa League final to Sevilla.
The match ended 1-1 after normal time, with Sevilla winning 4-1 on penalties.
Mourinho was critical of referee Anthony Taylor’s performance, calling him “a disgrace,” which resulted in a suspension.
Mourinho Claims Fenerbahce Were the Better Team
Despite their elimination, Mourinho insisted that Fenerbahce played better than Rangers.
“We deserved to win in the 90 minutes, we deserved to win after 120 minutes, we were the better team. In the first match, I was honest and admitted we made mistakes, but in this match, I have to say we were the better team.”
The Portuguese added, “The referee and VAR decided we should go to penalties. Congratulations to Rangers, but I believe my team deserves everything from me. I’m proud of them.”
Next Steps for Fenerbahce and Mourinho
Mourinho’s frustrations aside, he praised his team’s performance and reiterated that Fenerbahce deserved more from the match.
This defeat could have further implications for Mourinho’s future in European competitions, but Fenerbahce will look to recover and refocus for upcoming challenges.
He will undoubtedly reflect on this match as he prepares his team for future Europa League and domestic challenges.
