‘I can’t speak’ – Mourinho criticises ref after loss

Jose Mourinho said he “can’t speak” about refereeing decisions he felt led to Fenerbahce’s exit from the Champions League.

Mourinho believes his side can go far in the Europa League – which they will now drop into – if refereeing standards improve.

Fenerbahce’s chances of Champions League progress were ended on Tuesday by a 118th-minute penalty awarded to opponents Lille for handball following a video assistant referee check.

Jonathan David converted the kick to make it 1-1 on the night and give Lille a 3-2 aggregate victory in the third qualifying round tie.

It means Mourinho’s side will play in the Europa League next season, a trophy he lifted with Manchester United in 2017, having won it in its previous incarnation as the Uefa Cup with Porto in 2003.

“We would never win the Champions League. We would never reach the Champions League final. Never,” said Mourinho.

“But we go to Europa League and in Europa League if – if – I don’t want to say the rest. I prefer to stay on the ifs.”

Fenerbahce, trailing 2-1 from the first leg, took the game to extra time in Istanbul after an injury-time own goal from Bafode Diakite before David’s penalty.

Mourinho added: “If we can do a great Europa League. If, if, if. But we can do a great Europa League with if. I can’t speak more than the if. If not I am in trouble.”

Asked what he meant by ‘if’, Mourinho referenced the defeat he suffered with former side Roma in the 2023 Europa League final against Sevilla in which he angrily confronted referee Anthony Taylor in the car park after the match.

“If you want to know more about the ifs, I invite you watch Roma-Sevilla in the Europa League final 2022-23 and you understand the ifs,” he added.

Mourinho’s choice of words were similar to an interview the Portuguese coach gave during his second stint with Chelsea in 2014.

Speaking after a 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa in which two Chelsea players were sent off, Mourinho said: “I prefer not to speak. If I speak, I am in big trouble. In big trouble. And I don’t want to be in big trouble.”

Mourinho was appointed Fenerbahce manager in June after being sacked by Roma in January.