- Mourinho aims dig at Benfica
- Fenerbahce beat Feyenoord to make playoff round
- Champions League return within reach
Trailing Feyenoord 2-1 from the first leg of their third-qualifying round tie, Fenerbahce unleashed a ruthless second-leg performance, roaring to a 5-2 victory on the night and sealing a 6-4 aggregate triumph. The result marked anotherEuropean masterclass for Mourinho, who outfoxed former Manchester United and Arsenal striker Robin van Persie in the opposite dugout.
The playoff draw against Benfica comes with a personal twist for Mourinho. The Lisbon club was where he took his very first head coach role 25 years ago, though his stint was infamously short, lasting less than three months in 2000. Now, he returns with the opportunity to deal a major blow to their European ambitions.
Speaking after his team’s sensational qualifying triumph, Mourinho didn’t shy away from pointing out the challenge Benfica now face.
“I think they’d prefer Feyenoord,” he told reporters. “They know we’re stronger, they know it won’t be easy for them. But let’s go. I want to play, the fans want to play, the players want to play.
“It’s important financially, it’s important in terms of prestige. But we’re playing against great teams, Feyenoord and now Benfica, it’s not an easy playoff. But honestly, I think Benfica isn’t happy.”
Fenerbahce’s last appearance in the Champions League group stage was in the 2008-09 season. Since then, the club has battled through domestic challenges and endured a series of near misses in European competition.
The first leg is set for next Wednesday in Istanbul, with the return fixture at Benfica’s iconic Estádio da Luz on 27 August. For Fenerbahce, this represents their biggest European test in over a decade, as they aim to enter the Champions League proper alongside Galatasaray, who have already booked a spot in the competition as Turkish champions.
