- Former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has made his return to the Champions League, but it didn't go smoothly
- Mourinho received a yellow card early as his new club, Fenerbahce, suffered a 2-1 away defeat to Lille in the Champions League qualifying first leg
- The Special One will need to orchestrate a comeback in the second leg to keep Fenerbahce’s Champions League qualification hopes alive
Jose Mourinho has returned to the Champions League and found himself in the referee's notebook, receiving a yellow card within just ten minutes.
The Portuguese tactician was cautioned with a yellow card just ten minutes into Fenerbahce’s 2-1 loss to Lille in the qualifying first leg.
The Special One received the card from the quick-to-book referee Istvan Kovacs, who is known for his strict officiating, Talk Sport reported.
This caution came after Mourinho reacted angrily to a booking given to former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko.
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Kovacs, who had a controversial stint at Euro 2024, was sent home early after issuing a record 18 cards in a single tournament.
Mourinho's frustration was compounded moments later when Lille's Tiago Santos delivered a cross that deflected off Fenerbahce defender Jayden Oosterwolde into the net, giving Lille a 1-0 lead at halftime.
Although Irfan Kahveci scored a brilliant free-kick to level the score in the 79th minute, Lille secured the upper hand with Edon Zhegrova's injury-time winner.
What's next for Mourinho's Fenerbahce?
According to Super Sport, Fenerbahce now face a tough challenge in the second leg to overturn the deficit and secure their spot in the group stage.
The winner of the two-legged tie will advance to the Champions League group stage play-offs, where they will face either Slavia Prague or Union Saint-Gilloise.
Mourinho delighted with Abraham's signing
In an earlier publication, Legit.ng reported that Mourinho paid tribute to Roma for signing Tammy Abraham from Chelsea.
The Serie A side coughed out a massive £34million to land the England international who is ready to revive his international career.
Abraham who struggled to make Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea first team at Stamford Bridge was handed Roma's No.9 shirt.
Source: YEN.com.gh