Champions League: Mourinho Laments to Fenerbahce’s Exit

Fenerbahce, under the management of Jose Mourinho, was eliminated from the Champions League after a 3-2 aggregate loss to Lille in the third qualifying round.

The decisive moment came when Lille scored a controversial penalty deep into extra time, just as the match seemed destined for a shoot-out.

Mourinho, visibly frustrated, refrained from making explicit comments about the officiating but hinted at his dissatisfaction.

"We can do very well in the Europa League, but if… I prefer not to continue with this sentence. Because if I say it, I will get into trouble," he told reporters post-match.

The Portuguese manager criticized the referee's decisions, particularly the failure to issue an early yellow card, which he believed could have changed the game's dynamics. "It’s better not to talk about the penalty.

When I look at other incidents that have happened to me recently. Only the referee knows why it was a penalty, only the VAR knows," Mourinho added.

Despite the setback, Mourinho expressed pride in his team's performance and remained optimistic about their prospects in the Europa League. "I’m proud of my team.

This [not wasting time] is the referee’s job, he has to respect the game. He has to make the players respect it. I can’t criticise the opposing teams.

They also try to get a result. If they showed a yellow card in the first 20 minutes, everything would change, but they don’t."

Fenerbahce fans and football enthusiasts worldwide will now turn their attention to the Europa League, where Mourinho hopes to lead his team to succes