Jose Mourinho’s post-match reaction, in the aftermath of Rangers’ stunning penalty shoot-out triumph over Europa League rivals Fenerbahce, brought to mind perhaps the legendary Iberian’s most ‘memeable’ moment.
‘If I speak’…
Now, Jose Mourinho did not repeat that famous phrase word for word. A phrase he spawned when Chelsea had two players sent off in a defeat to Aston Villa back in 2014.
But the implication was clear. As was the incident he was referring too.
Jose Mourinho pleaded for a penalty after Nico Raskin clipped the heel of Fenerbahce’s Mert Hakan Yandas in extra time. All he got for his troubles – and no shortage of furious arm waving – was a yellow card.
If Nico Raskin was ‘world-class’ in the first leg, he was fortunate in the second.
On a night dominated by spot-kicks, those missed, those converted, and those denied by VAR, Fenerbahce – and Yandas for that matter – saw Lady Luck swoon instead into the arms of Barry Ferguson.
- READ MORE: Rangers Europa League Record Since 2017
Jose Mourinho points to Nico Raskin flashpoint as Rangers beat Fenerbahce
Rangers will face Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-finals after Jack Butland denied Fenerbahce duo Dusan Tadic and Fred in a 3-2 shoot-out triumph. The aforementioned Yandas would blaze his effort into the River Clyde to ensure the hosts’ progression.
And while he was classy in defeat at least initially – Ally McCoist spotted Jose Mourinho’s ‘lovely gesture’ as he raised a hand in acknowledgement to the Rangers support – the fork-tongued Portuguese was spitting acid in the press room.
“We deserved to win over 90 minutes. We deserved to win after 120 minutes. We were the best team by far,” Mourinho protests, Sebastian Szymanski’s double on the night counting for nothing.
“In the first match, I was honest and I had enough to say we made mistakes. We deserved to lose. But, in this match, I also have to be honest and say we were the best team by far.
“We did everything to win. The ref and the VAR decided that we should go to penalties.
“Congratulations to Rangers but I think my team deserves everything from me, from our supporters and even from Turkey as a country because we’re the last club to represent them in the European competition.
“I’m sad for my boys because it was the dream to go through but I’m proud of them.”
Mourinho’s dream of a sixth European title goes up in smoke at Ibrox
Mourinho went even further in comments relayed by the Turkish media. It’s fair to say Pol van Bokel – the Dutch official on VAR duty – should not expect a Christmas card from the Mourinho residence this festive period.
“I don’t think VAR will have a bad sleep tonight,” Mourinho huffed. “He will sleep calmly, after eating. He will take part in a big match in the international matches. But our loss is big. We lost our dreams today. I think this is very unfair.
“The VAR referee is said to be one of the best in the world, Van Bokel.
“I had a dream. I had succeeded five times [in European competition] but my players would win for the first time. I am sorry for everyone who shares this dream. It is not easy but we will continue on our way.
“Of course, you feel sad when you lose a match like this. Those who miss the penalty feel differently. I don’t like this situation because we all lose together. The players who miss will have their minds spinning when they go to bed.
“The players practiced the penalty, the players decided the order among themselves. That’s football unfortunately. It’s not the ones who miss the penalty who lose the match, it’s all of us.”
