By Obinna Uballa
Portuguese manager, Jose Mourinho, has been sacked as head coach of Turkish giants Fenerbahce after just one season in charge, following the club’s failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage, with speciations over Premier League return already surfacing.
The 62-year-old manager left his role on Friday, two days after a 1-0 defeat to Benfica in the decisive second leg of their Champions League play-off sealed their elimination. The first leg in Istanbul had ended goalless.
Fenerbahce confirmed his departure in a brief statement posted on social media platform X: “We have parted ways with Jose Mourinho. We thank him for his efforts for our team and wish him success in his future career.” The club did not immediately publish a statement on its official website.
Mourinho’s stint in Turkey began in June 2024 amid huge fanfare, but it quickly turned turbulent. Last season, Fenerbahce finished second in the Turkish Super Lig behind Galatasaray, crashed out of the Turkish Cup in the quarter-finals, and were eliminated by Rangers in the Europa League round of 16. This season’s failure to reach the Champions League proved to be the final straw.
Reports from Turkish media, including Spor Arena, suggested Mourinho’s relationship with the club’s hierarchy became strained during the summer transfer window, with the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss openly criticising the board’s recruitment strategy.
Despite signing players such as Nelson Semedo and former Aston Villa prospect John Duran, Mourinho was reportedly unimpressed with the squad strengthening.
His tenure also featured controversy off the pitch. In April, he received a three-match ban and a fine after grabbing the nose of Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk during the heated Istanbul derby. Earlier in February, he served a four-match suspension for making incendiary comments after another league fixture.
The two-time Champions League-winning manager, who has enjoyed success with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, has not coached in the competition’s main stage for six years. His status as one of the game’s elite tacticians has diminished, but he remains a high-profile figure in football.
Speculation is already mounting about his next move. Mourinho has expressed interest in managing at international level one day, but for now, he is being linked with a return to the Premier League. According to UK bookmakers, he is currently the second favourite to take over at Nottingham Forest.
Fenerbahce’s wait for Champions League football now stretches to 17 seasons, and Mourinho departs with the team sitting seventh in the Turkish league with four points from two games. His exit comes just a day after fellow former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was dismissed by Besiktas following a shock Conference League exit to Swiss side Lausanne.
