José Mourinho gets the bullet... again!
Fenerbahçe dumped the Portuguese coach after a Champions League exit to Benfica, with a costly $21 million severance payout.
José Mourinho’s stint in Turkey is already over. Fenerbahçe announced Friday that the Portuguese coach has been dismissed following the team’s elimination from the Champions League qualifying rounds at the hands of Benfica.
“José Mourinho, who has been our head coach since the 2024-25 season, is no longer with Fenerbahçe. We thank him for his efforts and wish him success in the future,” the club said in a brief statement.
Fenerbahçe’s Champions League hopes were dashed after a 1-0 defeat to Benfica in the playoff round, a game in which the Turkish side failed to register a single shot on target. The loss drops them into the Europa League instead of Europe’s premier competition.
Mourinho’s public criticism backfires
The early exit leaves both the club and Mourinho in a difficult spot. The 61-year-old coach had already voiced frustration with Fenerbahçe’s leadership, criticizing the lack of signings ahead of the Benfica clash.
“I don’t think there was any extra effort in the transfer market. If the Champions League was truly the club’s main goal, I believe something would’ve been done before we faced Feyenoord or Benfica,” Mourinho said before the game, sparking controversy in Turkey.
Underperforming Mourinho
But dissatisfaction wasn’t one-sided. Fenerbahçe’s board was also unhappy with Mourinho’s results. The former Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Chelsea boss failed to win a single derby in Turkey, with archrival Galatasaray continuing to dominate the domestic scene.
Club president Ali Koç’s decision to part ways with Mourinho is widely seen in Turkey as an election move, with club elections scheduled for September 23.
The firing won’t come cheap: Fenerbahçe is reportedly on the hook for more than $21 million in severance to buy out Mourinho’s contract.
How many times has José Mourinho been sacked?
Despite being one of the most successful coaches of all time, Mourinho has now been sacked on seven separate occasions (Chelsea twice, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma and now Fenerbahçe).
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