Mourinho: “United got a point against us, not we got a point against them” – Fenerbahçe boss delivers vintage interview after draw against Manchester United | OneFootball

Fenerbahçe 1-1 Manchester United

José Mourinho was in fine form during his post-match duties after watching his Fenerbahçe side earn a credible 1-1 draw against Manchester United in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Fener rallied after going into the break behind to fight back for a point, with Mourinho suggesting after the match that his side were much closer to winning the match than their illustrious opponents in Istanbul.

Christian Eriksen gave United the lead in the 15th minute, rounding off a superb team move for the Red Devils, who deployed Diogo Dalot at right-back but were without suspended captain Bruno Fernandes. Fener levelled less than five minutes after the re-start through Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri – Portugal’s nemesis at World Cup 2022 – who headed in Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross.

Mourinho watched the latter stages from an elevated position in the stadium having been sent off for protesting when Fener were denied a penalty. Speaking after the match, the former Porto boss told the media his side were far closer to earning a victory than his former club, with the result seeing his side end the night in 14th place in the competition league phase.

“We got a point against Man United? No, they got a point against us. Not us against them. We played amazing. I was telling the players, if we play like this in the Turkish league we destroy every team. Because of course we played against a team that is a superior level than us. Of course the Premier League has more quality, more intensity, more pace – more everything.

“I think my boys did an amazing match. Probably in England people will speak about two or three players of Man United who didn’t play. You don’t know how many of us didn’t play. Because as a start we have four players off the Europa League list, we also had injuries, we finished the game with a centre-back playing right-back; a centre-back playing left-back – we had to do a crazy puzzle.

“But our performance was extraordinary. I couldn’t ask anything more from the players. Onana made two incredible saves in our fantastic initial period, because we started so well. They scored in a situation where we knew that they could, because the pace of the wingers and the arrival of the midfield players was something we knew could hurt us. But I think we had a phenomenal performance.

“Onana saved the result. My goalkeeper didn’t make a save. He made two impossible saves in ten seconds. I think he’s the most decisive player in the result. Of course he didn’t make twenty saves, but he made two saves that were incredible. Onana can do it. I know the English media are going to say Man United didn't play well, but I think it would be fair to say we did an extraordinary match and we were better than them. So, good result for Man United."

The best of Mourinho’s post-match words were reserved for referee Clement Turpin, who sent him off early in the second half after the Portuguese had contested the decision not to award a penalty for a perceived foul on right-back Bright Oyasi-Samuel.

“He (the referee) told me something incredible,” Mourinho said. “He said that at the same time he could see the action in the box and my behaviour on the touchline. I congratulate him because it’s absolutely incredible. His peripheral vision, during the game, 100 miles per hour – he had one eye on the penalty situation and he had one eye on the bench and my behaviour. That’s the explanation he gave me. That’s why he’s one of the best referees in the world.”