The Fenerbahce boss has warned Rangers that the tie is not yet over despite their comfortable first-leg win
Jose Mourinho has fired a warning shot at Rangers after their impressive 3-1 victory over his Fenerbahce side in the first leg of their Europa League Round of 16 clash.
Despite the Scottish giants putting themselves in a commanding position, the Portuguese tactician insists the tie is far from over, urging Rangers not to get ahead of themselves before the return leg in Glasgow.
Mourinho unhappy with Fenerbahce’s performance
In classic Mourinho fashion, the Fenerbahce boss slammed his team’s underwhelming display in Istanbul after the 3-1 defeat.
Cyriel Dessers scores for Rangers against Fenerbahce | Imago
Rangers stunned the Turkish side early on with a Cyriel Dessers opener, followed by a Vaclav Cerny brace, while Alexander Djiku’s goal for Fenerbahce provided little consolation.
To make matters worse for the hosts, Dessers had two goals disallowed for offside, meaning the scoreline could have been even more humiliating.
Jose Mourinho || imago
Speaking after the match, Mourinho said, “I think it’s not fair to say we were very bad in defence, because we were very bad everywhere.
“Maybe you laugh, but for me it was a good result, because the way we performed, the result could be bigger than this. But if somebody later wants to ask me do I think it’s over, no, I don’t think it’s over.”
Mourinho warns Rangers about second leg
Despite acknowledging Fenerbahce’s failings, Mourinho remains confident his side can turn the tie around in the second leg.
‘The Special One’ Jose Mourinho
The Special One added, “The only thing I tell them [Rangers] is, don’t celebrate too much because there is a second match. It’s my only advice.”
While Rangers fans may be tempted to start dreaming of the quarterfinals, interim manager Barry Ferguson is taking a cautious approach.
Dessers scored one and assisted another for Rangers.
Stepping in for the departed Philippe Clement, Ferguson has been tasked with steering the club through the remainder of the season, and he knows all too well what a Mourinho-led comeback could look like.
He was quick to warn his players that Fenerbahce have enough firepower to flip the script in Scotland, telling them to stay on their guard to avoid an unlikely turnaround.
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