Dusan Tadic, the Fenerbahce playmaker, summed it up pretty well in his response to Rangers’ thrilling 3-1 victory away at Jose Mourinho’s Turkish giants in the first-leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.
‘Unexpected’ indeed.
To quote one former Fenerbahce player, speaking in the build-up to Thursday’s encounter at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, Jose Mourinho’s outfit ‘have a budget four times larger than Rangers’.
One-time Fener full-back Ugur Boral added that, when it comes to the sheer quality of their players, those at Barry Ferguson’s disposal ‘don’t even come close’ to those on the opposite side of the pitch.
Yet, there would be an almighty sting in the tail for the club in yellow and black stripes as a waspish Rangers secured a two-goal advantage ahead of next week’s return leg at what is guaranteed to be a febrile Ibrox.
Nico Raskin was ‘unbelievable’ for Rangers alongside the recalled Connor Barron as Fenerbahce were made to pay for the absences of Ismail Yuksek and the suspended Fred. Milan Skriniar – one of the finest centre-backs of recent years joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain – was powerless to prevent Vaclav Cerny stroking home two well-placed finishes after Cyriel Dessers shock opener.
The star power strikeforce of Edin Dzeko and two-time Europa League winner Youssef En-Nesyri, meanwhile, were no match for an imperious John Souttar.
Dusan Tadic reacts as Fenerbahce stunned by Rangers
One-time Ajax and Southampton schemer Dusan Tadic, meanwhile, went into Thursday’s clash with 11 goals and 15 assists to his name. The Serb would not come close to adding to that impressive tally, however, restricted to a spectator’s role up against a fiercely disciplined Rangers outfit.
“Definitely an unexpected result,” Tadic sighed. “Rangers are a quality team but we are also a quality team.
“We conceded easy goals that we shouldn’t have conceded. We could have been much more organised. They punished the mistakes we made.
“We [have only] played the first leg of the round. We will go [to Ibrox] to win. Our aim will be a good result there to advance to the next round.”
Their respective CV’s could hardly have been more contrasting – two Champions League winners’ medals, spells at Real Madrid, Chelsea and Inter Milan compared to a couple of stints with Kelty Hearts, Clyde and Alloa Athletic – but it was the managerial novice of Barry Ferguson who emerged victorious in Turkey.
Jose Mourinho highlighted the threat of Cyriel Dessers and Vaclav Cerny as a key factor in Rangers’ win. The duo were a menace throughout, combining beautifully as they gave Skriniar the runaround to take a 2-1 lead into half-time on the night.
- READ MORE: Rangers Europa League Record Since 2017
Jose Mourinho praises Cyriel Dessers and Vaclav Cerny
“He brought five defenders, three midfielders, and two guys in attack on the counter-attack,” Mourinho said, Ferguson’s shift to a 3-4-2-1 formation proving crucial.
“On the counter-attack, they were dangerous [with Cerny and Dessers]. Every time, Cerny was attacking spaces in behind our defenders.
“I don’t know how many centre-metres the two goals they scored were offside but they were always [running] in the spaces in behind. They were pragmatic, they were defensive, they were attacking the spaces in behind.
“They were competitive and they deserved the victory.
“We were very bad everywhere. I think it’s not fair to say we were very bad in defence, because we were very bad everywhere,” Mourinho adds, his hopes of a sixth European title hanging in the balance.
“Maybe you laugh but, for me it was a good result, because the way we performed the result could be bigger than this [had Dessers’ two offside goals stood].
“I know that Jack Butland made three fantastic saves. The chances we had to score we didn’t. The dynamic in midfield was not good. Defensively, we made incredible mistakes. We never controlled that.
“They defended a lot with the block very low, a good and dangerous counter-attack. So we deserve the punishment of this result.”
