Newsletters
Fenerbahce head coach Jose Mourinho addressed the press ahead of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round match against Feyenoord, set to take place on Wednesday, August 6 at 10:00 p.m. (GMT+3).
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, the Portuguese coach described the upcoming clash as “a big challenge,” acknowledging the quality of the Dutch side.
"Feyenoord is a young and talented team with a good manager. It will be a big challenge for us," Mourinho said.
When asked about motivating his players, Mourinho avoided naming individuals and said:
"If I praise some players, they will be happy. The ones I don’t mention will be twice as motivated. So, I’ll leave the motivation of Van Persie’s team to him."
Mourinho also commented on his former player and current Feyenoord manager Robin van Persie:
"Robin was a great striker. I know him well. He’s still very young as a coach."
The 61-year-old manager sees the tie as balanced:
"I’d say it’s 50-50. There’s less than a week between the two legs. We’re not the favorites, but I also don’t see them as being above us."
Mourinho was also asked about how he has adapted since last season in Türkiye:
"To be honest, I don’t know what I will do differently. I always give my best. Last season was new for me — this year feels like deja vu. There will be no surprises."
"Everyone is ready to play except for Mert Hakan. Skriniar is not a new signing for us, he has played here before," Mourinho added.
Fenerbahce is seeking to return to the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
1 min read
