Jose Mourinho: “It is unacceptable for a Champions League match to be played on such a pitch.”

Fenerbahçe’s head coach Jose Mourinho made statements after their 4-3 victory against Swiss representative Lugano in the UEFA Champions League 2nd qualifying round match played away.

In the first match of the UEFA Champions League 2nd qualifying round, Fenerbahçe defeated Lugano 4-3 away. Experienced coach Jose Mourinho, who spoke after the match, said, “We completed the first match with a victory. We will play our second match in Istanbul. With the intense support of our fans pushing us, our goal is to leave there with a win and advance to the next round.”

“It is unacceptable for a Champions League match to be played on such a pitch”

Talking about the match being played on synthetic grass, Mourinho said, “I didn’t want to talk about this before the match because I didn’t want to make excuses. Playing on plastic, that is, synthetic ground was difficult. The players struggled a lot in that sense. They had difficulty dribbling, we faced challenges with the flow of the ball. Therefore, it was hard to adapt. I didn’t want to talk about this before the match, but I can say it was a difficult situation. It is unacceptable to play on this pitch, this surface. I believe it is unacceptable for a Champions League match to be played on such a pitch.”

“Everyone’s performance is improving over time”

Finally, when asked about the transfer process, the Portuguese coach replied, “Honestly, I am happy. I can also say that I am happy with the work the club has done. Actually, when I came here, I didn’t ask for any promises from anyone. I just wanted the best squad to be formed, to do the best we could. The club has already provided me with the best in terms of transfers in that sense. I think we have a good squad. We had players who were on vacation, and we had only three training sessions with some players. It was a difficult situation, to be honest. But over time, everyone is improving their performance. I believe we are a good team. I thank our president, our management, our sports director, and everyone who has made an effort and contributed in this regard.”