Jose Mourinho’s quest to lead Fenerbahce to Champions League glory has suffered a major setback.
The Turkish giants crashed out of the competition following a heartbreaking 3-2 aggregate defeat to Lille on Tuesday.
Despite a late own goal from Bafode Diakite that sent the game to extra time, Fenerbahce’s fate was sealed when Jonathan David converted a penalty in extra time. The Turkish club had trailed 2-1 from the first leg and were on the brink of elimination until Diakite’s late intervention.
Mourinho’s tenure at Fenerbahce has got off to a disappointing start, with the club’s Champions League ambitions ended prematurely. The Portuguese tactician had hoped to lead the club to a first Turkish title since 2014, but this early exit raises questions about his team’s readiness for the top tier.
Lille, meanwhile, advance to the final qualifying round, where they will face either Slavia Prague or Union Saint-Gilloise. For Fenerbahce, it’s back to the drawing board as they regroup and refocus on domestic duties.
