ZeeboiIf only Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce squad had matched the level of performance he himself displayed.
Following his team’s defeat at home to a Rangers side that has become known for their strong Europa League away performances, the Portuguese coach managed to land more verbal jabs at the visitors than his players did on the pitch.
Rangers should “calm down”. The tie is “not over”. Fenerbahce were “bad everywhere”. They made “incredible, incredible mistakes”.
The Scottish Premiership side were “as pragmatic as I was expecting”. They defended “basically well” and wasted time with “20 injuries”. Goalkeeper Jack Butland “took 30 seconds every time he had the ball in his hands”.
Yet, despite all this, Mourinho insisted that the 3-1 loss in Istanbul was “a good result” because the margin of defeat “could have been bigger”.
He pointed out that Rangers had two goals from Cyriel Dessers disallowed for offside after VAR checks, as Fenerbahce struggled to contain their counter-attacking threat.
In the end, Barry Ferguson’s side had to settle for a brace from Vaclav Cerny, adding to Dessers’ early goal.
Despite their domestic struggles, Rangers remain in a strong position to advance to the quarter-finals, potentially facing Roma or Athletic Bilbao. Mourinho, however, wasn’t ready to concede.
“For me, I have to say that we deserved a punishment of this result,” he said. “But if someone wants to ask me if it’s over, no, I don’t think it’s over.
“The only thing I tell this is don’t celebrate too much, because there is a second match to play, that’s my only advice.
“If they celebrate after the second match I will congratulate them but now calm down because it’s not over.”
‘We’ll enjoy tonight then try to fix Ibrox problem’
Rangers’ interim head coach Barry Ferguson echoed Mourinho’s sentiments, though his words lacked the same flair.
This was only Ferguson’s third game in charge of Rangers, with his managerial experience limited to modest stints in Scotland’s lower leagues.
He had started his tenure with a comeback win at Kilmarnock, but that was followed by a disappointing home loss to struggling Motherwell.
However, Ferguson’s tactical adjustments paid off, as switching to a back three not only solidified their defense but also provided opportunities on the counter.
“I just thought I had to change the shape and it was a gamble I was prepared to take because I thought we could get a result,” the former club captain said.
“It’s easy, when you score a couple of goals and they get disallowed, to start feeling sorry for yourself. But they kept going and stuck to the game plan.
“We’ve got to remember, it’s only half-time in the tie because Fenerbahce have got one of the best managers that’s ever been.
“There’s no way we think we’re into the last eight. Playing at Ibrox has been a bit of a problem, but we’ll enjoy tonight and then try to fix that problem.”
What they said
Double goalscorer Vaclav Cerny: “We said what we want and how we want to get it. We did our job. You see the power we have when we stick together.”
Opening scorer Cyriel Dessers: “This is a very good feeling. It was a beautiful night but we’re well aware we’re only halfway there. We have to enjoy this evening. To come to a difficult place against a good team and win should give us confidence.”
Former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield on Sportsound: “Everybody looks down on Scottish football and clubs and players that play in Scotland but it’s proven time and time again that this club rises to the occasion in Europe.
“You just come to expect it on a Thursday night… I said they just have to stay in the tie, but they’ve done more than that. They are in the driving seat now.”
Former Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst on TNT Sports: “Perfect, perfect performance. Really proud of the team, really proud of Barry and his staff.”
Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton on TNT Sports: “They always had that threat. Barry Ferguson surprised a lot of people with that formation but it worked an absolute treat.”
Former Rangers striker Ally McCoist on TNT Sports: “Wee Barry should be and he will be extremely proud of those boys.”
BBC Scotland chief sports writer Tom English: “When this Rangers team are asked to break down a defence, they struggle. When it’s a toe-to-toe encounter and there’s space and a freedom to counter, they’re a completely different animal.”
Have your say
What did you make of Rangers’ performance? And what do you think about Jose Mourinho’s comments?
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