José Mourinho sarcastically referred to Clément Turpin as “one of the best referees in the world” after the Fenerbahce manager was sent off during his team’s draw with his former club, Manchester United. Mourinho received a red card for protesting, believing his side should have been awarded a penalty in the second half after Youssef En-Nesyri equalized Christian Eriksen’s opening goal. He watched the remainder of the match from the stands but later revealed that he had approached Turpin to inquire about his dismissal.
“The referee told me something unbelievable,” Mourinho said. “He claimed he could simultaneously observe the action in the box and my behavior on the touchline. I congratulate him because he is truly remarkable. At the speed of the game, with everything happening at 100 miles per hour, he managed to keep one eye on the potential penalty and the other on my conduct on the bench. That’s the explanation he provided, which is why he is considered one of the best referees in the world.”
Mourinho added, “I believe the best course of action when I leave Fenerbahce is to join a club that doesn’t participate in Uefa competitions. So, if any club in England at the bottom of the table needs a manager in the next two years, I’m ready to step in. I don’t want to say anything more – we played exceptionally well against a team that is far superior.”
Manchester United has now gone a full year without a victory in Europe, having drawn their first three matches in the Europa League. Erik ten Hag was satisfied with his team’s performance but acknowledged his disappointment at not securing all three points. “Of course, when you take the lead, a draw shouldn’t be the outcome,” he said. “We had opportunities to score a second goal. We’re disappointed not to win. At Old Trafford, we must win games.”
When asked if he would like to face Fenerbahce again in the final, ten Hag responded, “It would be a very good final. We should have kept possession better in the first half. We should have scored more goals, but to be honest, they also created good chances. They posed some problems. They are a good team with a capable manager. A draw is not a bad result, but we aim to win every game.”
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