Press Conference Highlights: Mourinho on Yusuf, Amrabat, and Anderlecht Win
After Fenerbahçe’s 3-0 victory over Belgium’s Anderlecht in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 play-off, head coach José Mourinho praised his team’s performance but emphasized that it was too early to talk about advancing.
Speaking at the post-match press conference at Ülker Stadium, Mourinho highlighted his team’s progress, stating that since January, they had played 10 matches, securing 8 wins and 2 draws. He also noted that the squad made good use of the league break, which was reflected in their recent results.
Addressing whether the 3-0 lead was enough to secure qualification, Mourinho said:
“MY EXPERIENCE TELLS ME THE TIE IS STILL OPEN”
“My experience tells me that the tie is not over. Despite the 3-0 scoreline, anything is possible. This result does not make me think we’ve already advanced, but I am happy with the team’s performance. We played well today. The players understand what we want to do. Amrabat played brilliantly as a center-back, and young Yusuf put in a fantastic performance. I had to take Osayi off because I was worried about him getting a second yellow card. We scored three goals, but we could have scored more. İrfan made two incredible saves. We controlled the match for long periods and remained solid even when we didn’t have the ball. Whether this result is enough to advance, we’ll see in Brussels. But I am pleased with the team’s condition.”
“I PREFER TO WIN WITHOUT GIVING HEART ATTACKS”
After the match, Mourinho received the shirt of Anderlecht captain Jan Vertonghen, one of his former players at Tottenham. He commented:
“I took Vertonghen’s shirt. My players remain my players, even when they play against me. I was very happy to face him.”
Regarding the referee’s performance, Mourinho stated that overall, the officiating was good. Addressing a penalty claim from Anderlecht in the first half, he added:
“If VAR reviews an incident for three minutes, it means there’s doubt. Normally, you expect the correct decision; it’s difficult to make a wrong call in three minutes.”
Mourinho emphasized that he always aims to win convincingly, saying:
“I prefer to win matches without giving heart attacks. If I win 7-3, that makes me happy because it means no heart attacks. Today, my players didn’t make mistakes. We conceded just one chance in the first half and had a brief period where we were pushed back in the second half. Škriniar is not just a top-level player, he’s a leader. Sofyan is highly intelligent and quickly adapts to positional changes. In our previous game, the same applied to Levent. This defensive solidity is the result of collective work. People love Džeko, Tadić, and En-Nesyri, but naturally, they get tired toward the final stages. I am extremely happy with today’s team performance.”
“WE MUST KEEP YUSUF GROUNDED”
Finally, speaking about young talent Yusuf Akçiçek, Mourinho said:
“Even before he started playing, I knew Yusuf had great potential. His hard work every day is paying off. But I need to be careful with him. In this country, players can be lifted up very quickly, but they can also be brought down just as fast. He’s playing well right now, but he needs to stay grounded. He will likely rest on Sunday because it has been a heavy workload for a young player. He progresses well with the ball and contributes to the attack. He’s a very humble kid, but as I said, we must ensure he keeps his feet on the ground.”
