Manchester United’s struggles in European competitions persisted with a 1-1 draw against Fenerbahce on October 24 in Istanbul, marking just one victory in their last 11 European matches.
Christian Eriksen opened the scoring for United in the 15th minute with a well-placed finish, bringing his goal contributions for the season to seven. However, Fenerbahce responded shortly after the break when Youssef En-Nesyri leveled the game with a header in the 49th minute.
The match saw controversy as Fenerbahce manager José Mourinho was sent off by referee Clement Turpin after disputing a non-call on a penalty. Bright Osayi-Samuel had gone down in the box following a challenge by Manuel Ugarte, leading to Mourinho’s heated protests.
Following the match, Mourinho refrained from commenting directly on the incident, saying, “I watched the [penalty] incident. I don’t want to speak about it.”
Reflecting on his interaction with Turpin, Mourinho added, “He told me something incredible. At the same time, he could see the action in the box and my behaviour on the touchline. I congratulate him because he’s absolutely incredible. During the game, at 100 miles per hour, he had one eye on the penalty situation, and he had one eye on the bench and on my behaviour. That’s why he is one of the best referees in the world.”
Praising his team’s effort, Mourinho noted, “I know English media will say, ‘Manchester United didn’t play well, didn’t have shots.’ Why? Because the opponent was very good. I think my players deserve that credit for that performance.”
Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag defended his team’s European campaign, stating, “They got a point in Porto, a point in Fenerbahce—that’s not bad, but of course we want to win. We want to win every game.”
United’s last European victory dates back to a 1-0 win over Copenhagen in October 2023. Notably, this is the first time since the 1980-83 stretch that the club has gone six consecutive European games without a win. Currently, Manchester United sits 21st in the UEFA Europa League qualification table.
By: Ibidunni Doyinsola
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