Overview

• José Mourinho was dismissed on Aug. 29 following a 1-0 aggregate Champions League play-off defeat to Benfica, with the club formalizing the decision soon after.
• Ali Koç said the manner of the Benfica elimination was unacceptable and that Mourinho’s defensive approach conflicted with Fenerbahçe’s demand for dominant, attacking football.
• Koç noted the club’s benchmark of “99 goals and 99 points” as its identity and said the team should already be playing better football with the current squad.
• Fenerbahçe expects to name a new head coach soon, likely a foreign manager, with Koç saying first-choice Luciano Spalletti declined to return to work this season.
• During a 62-game tenure Mourinho recorded 37 wins, 14 draws and 11 losses without a trophy, as Turkish reports also described board disputes and claims he sidelined local players while he publicly criticized preparation and recruitment delays.