Jose Mourinho Speaks Out on Fenerbahçe TV: “Our Worst Performance Since I Arrived”
Fenerbahçe's head coach, Jose Mourinho, shared his thoughts on recent issues in an interview on the club's television channel. The Portuguese coach also clarified his comments about Turkish football and referees, which sparked debate following the Trabzonspor match.
Loss Against AZ Alkmaar
First, Mourinho addressed the recent defeat to AZ Alkmaar, stating, “I can say it was our worst performance since I arrived. It was a truly poor game, and I believe we were still under the emotional and physical impact of the Trabzonspor match—a match filled with ups and downs and an incredible surge of emotions at the end. It felt like the team hadn’t fully recovered from it and struggled to focus on the AZ Alkmaar match. When you aren’t emotionally ready, things become more difficult. I don’t think my absence on the bench had a major effect since we prepared the team well.” He continued, “We have four players we couldn’t include in the squad, including Kostic. We also had two injured key wingers, Irfan Can Kahveci and Cengiz Ünder, which makes a difference. There are reasons that explain the outcome, but as I said, this was our worst match so far, and as always, I take responsibility for it.”
Mourinho’s Suspension
Regarding his one-match suspension imposed by PFDK, Mourinho commented, “First, I want to understand the reason because I haven’t seen a specific explanation. Yes, I celebrated a lot after the match and complained about the VAR referee, but I did not insult or act aggressively. If my post-match celebration is culturally misunderstood, I apologize. One of my childhood idols was Eusébio, whose iconic goal celebration I tried to emulate. If this gesture is considered offensive in Turkey, I need to learn that. For now, I have to deal with this situation and rely on my team and fans.”
Upcoming Sivasspor Match
Looking ahead to the Sivasspor match, Mourinho said, “It’s a very important game, like all our league matches. When we don’t win, even if we don’t lose, we see it as a lost opportunity for points. Sivasspor has been on a winning streak with their own style and philosophy, but we need to bring our game, which is different from theirs. We need to play with the motivation from Trabzon and the pain of our last match in the Netherlands, knowing we have to win. As always, I trust my players, my staff, and our fans, who will be there to support us.”
Comments on Turkish Football and Referees
On his previous remarks about Turkish football and referees, Mourinho clarified, “When I arrived, I said, ‘I’m here to work for Turkish football but first and foremost for Fenerbahçe.’ I would be the happiest person in the world if I could genuinely say, ‘The Turkish league is fantastic, the best team wins the championship, and the VAR and field referees are excellent.’ I would love to speak positively about everything. However, experience tells me that there are things that need to change in the Turkish league because Turkey as a country is much greater than its league. Turkey has a strong football heritage, with players who have gone to some of the world’s biggest clubs—Arda at Real Madrid, Arda Turan at Barcelona years ago, and Ferdi in the Premier League. There’s passion and talent here, and I certainly want to win the championship, but even if I don’t, I want to be able to congratulate the champion knowing it was a fair and honest competition. My only concern is that Turkish football reaches greatness.”
