Mourinho Speaks Before Anderlecht Clash: “We Must Finish the Job”

In the UEFA Europa League, Fenerbahçe faces Belgium’s Anderlecht in the second-leg playoff of the Round of 16.

Fenerbahçe head coach Jose Mourinho spoke before the match.

In his statement, Jose Mourinho said: “The players are good, they are open to learning new things. Having this tactical culture also helps their development. I have to be honest, the goalkeeper is also part of this team. At certain moments, our goalkeeper made the right saves at the right time. During the break for Christmas and New Year, we had the opportunity to do the training we wanted. If I’m not mistaken, we are currently on an 11-12 match unbeaten streak.”

MOURINHO: “WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO”

The Fenerbahçe head coach continued: “We have started to implement these things, and the results have followed. We’ve had some injuries, but the fact that the transfer window was open during this period also provided an opportunity. Things are going positively for us at the moment. However, we still have a long way to go. In matches like this, anything is possible, so we need to finish the job tomorrow.”

“MY PLAYERS ARE GOOD PLAYERS”

Question: “Instead of making excuses, you have always found a solution. Despite the defensive absences, Fenerbahçe has conceded only one goal in the last four matches. How did you achieve this?”

Jose Mourinho: “My players are good players. They are open to learning new things and playing in new positions. Having a strong tactical culture has contributed significantly to their development. Additionally, our compact defensive play as a team has played a major role. Our goalkeeper has also had an impact in this picture, making crucial saves at key moments.”

“CONFIDENCE GREW AS RESULTS CAME”

“We cannot attribute this progress to just one factor. During the break at the start of the year, we finally had the opportunity to work on what we wanted. We started implementing these things on the field in the best way possible. As the results came, confidence grew. We’ve had injuries, but we were lucky that the transfer window was open during this period. You can see that Milan Skriniar is a player of a completely different level.”

“WE ARE ALSO GROWING AS A FAMILY”

“At the same time, the team is united with great confidence. Not just in football but also as a family, they are developing. Things are going very well for us right now. We are getting positive results, but our most important match is always the next one. My experience tells me that in UEFA tournaments, anything is possible.”

“I WON’T TAKE TACTICAL ADVICE FROM FELLAINI”

“I talk to Fellaini very often, but not about Belgian teams. He is a very loyal person—loyal to me as well. So, I won’t be taking any tactical advice from him. He is one of the players I speak to frequently. In the Anderlecht match, I took Vertonghen’s jersey. I don’t take just anyone’s jersey. If I bring a jersey home, it has a meaning for me. We worked together at Tottenham during the Covid period. Fellaini’s brother is a very funny guy, but Fellaini himself is a very special person. We won the UEFA Europa League together. I hope he is happy now. After returning from China, he became a rich man.”