'He was not arrogant like the referee' - Jose Mourinho launches scathing attack on official, UEFA after Rangers loss
Updated 14/03/2025 at 10:02 GMT
Fenerbahce were dumped out of the UEFA Europa League on penalties despite battling back from a 3-1 first-leg defeat on the night. Jose Mourinho felt his side deserved more and were on the wrong end of several key decisions. The Fenerbahce boss responded by suggesting that referee Espen Eskas was "arrogant" and that he was being punished for his behaviour in the 2023 UEFA Europa League Final.
Mourinho insists Fenerbahce ‘best team by far’, ref decided game had to go to penalties
Video credit: TNT Sports
Jose Mourinho launched a scathing attack on the referee Espen Eskas after Fenerbahce were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League by Rangers on penalties.
Mourinho suggested that referee Eskas was "arrogant" while speaking to TNT Sports after the match, before insinuating that decisions which have gone against his side this season could be a consequence of his behaviour during the 2023 UEFA Europa League Final.
Sebastian Szymanski scored twice as the Turkish giants battled back from 3-1 down in the tie to send the game to penalties, but Mourinho felt several decisions went against his team.
While Roma manager, Mourinho received a four-match ban from UEFA competitions for his use of language towards Anthony Taylor following defeat in the Europa League final against Seville.
"The referee and the VAR decided that we should go to penalties," he said.
"The fourth official was a nice guy, he was not arrogant like the referee.
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"He was a nice guy, he was trying to do his job, he was not of course making decisions.
"He was trying to make our bench calm.
"I was the only one calm because everybody, especially the ones in front of the laptops, it is difficult for them to control.
"In relation to me, the only thing that I hope is that everything that has happened to my team since day one this season is not a consequence of the Budapest final.
"I hope that it is just random.
"Yes [it goes through his mind] because since that final and since my suspension following the Budapest final, the things that happened to us.
"We did not play Champions League because a penalty in the 120th minute against Lille, we didn't win against Manchester United with a penalty that everybody saw."
Mourinho believes his side deserved to go through based on their performance in the second leg.
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Highlights: Rangers penalty heroics send Mourinho's side crashing out
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Best team on the pitch, by far," he added. "Not by close, by far.
"We deserved to win over 90 minutes, we deserved to win over the 120 minutes.
"We were the best team by far.
"In the first leg I was honest and I had enough fair play to say we made mistakes and we deserved to lose.
"But in this match, I have to be honest and say we were the best team by far."
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