Fenerbahce Dismisses Mourinho After Champions League Exit

Fenerbahce have officially parted ways with Portuguese manager José Mourinho, just two days after the club was eliminated from the UEFA Champions League playoffs by Benfica, the Turkish side announced Friday.

“We have parted ways with Jose Mourinho, who served as head coach of our professional A team since the 2024-2025 season. We thank him for his efforts for our team and wish him success in his future career,” the club said in a statement.

Mourinho, who joined Fenerbahce in June 2024, guided the Istanbul giants to a second-place finish in the Turkish Süper Lig last season, behind arch-rivals Galatasaray. His tenure, however, failed to bring an end to the club’s long-standing title drought.

The 62-year-old former manager of Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Roma endured several controversies during his time in Turkey. In April, he sparked headlines after grabbing Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk’s face and tweaking his nose following a 2-1 defeat in the Turkish Cup quarterfinals.

He was also fined for post-match comments after another heated derby with Galatasaray, where he accused the fourth official of bias and criticized Turkish referees—remarks later deemed “contrary to sporting ethics.”