Sports

Mourinho slams UEFA after Fenerbahce’s 4-3 win over Lugano

Published

2 years ago

Fenerbahce manager, Jose Mourinho, has hit out at UEFA after they beat Lugano 4-3 in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier on Tuesday.

Mourinho’s men were given a scare in Switzerland, before they edged the seven-goal thriller.

Edin Dzeko was the hero as he bagged a hat-trick.

But Mourinho was furious with UEFA after they moved the match to Thun, which is 135 miles from Lugano.

The governing body had deemed the home team’s regular stadium unsuitable for a Champions League qualifier.

Mourinho said: “We tried not to make excuses before the match, but playing quality football on a synthetic pitch is a challenge.

“The ball doesn’t move as it should, players struggle to dribble, and the game’s pace slows significantly. I can’t fathom why UEFA permits Champions League matches on synthetic surfaces.

“It’s also perplexing why a good team like Lugano would choose to play on such a pitch. It wasn’t ideal for the game.”