Fenerbahce will face Lille in the first leg of the third round of the UEFA Champions League qualification in the early morning of August 7, Beijing time. Prior to the match, Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho attended a press conference and expressed his views on the team's status, transfer rumors, season preparation and opponent's situation.
Mourinho started by confirming the fitness of the squad, with all players in good form except Fred who is out due to injury. He mentioned that the team has completed 7 games and the new additions are settling in and improving their form. Since the match against Lugano, the team has had quality training and is well prepared for the upcoming matches.
Regarding the transfer market rumors, Mourinho said that he is sometimes glad that he does not understand Turkish as it prevents him from being distracted by transfer rumors. He emphasized that while the absence of injured players provides opportunities for others, he is confident in the current squad of players and expects them to perform at their best in matches. At the same time, he also said that it would be a great addition to the squad if new players could be added before the transfer window closes.
Speaking about the early start of the season, Mourinho said that this is the second time he has started the season early in a summer with the Europa League, but this time it is particularly special because the team needs to receive the participating players in batches during the Europa League, which poses a certain challenge to the team's preparation. However, instead of making excuses for this, he said that the team is motivated for this game and will give their best to win.
Speaking about their opponents Lille, Mourinho expressed his respect and admiration for them. He mentioned that Lille have a new coach and that the players, except Jonathan Davie, have been training together since day one, which has made them perform very well as a team. Mourinho believes the game will be a challenge for both sides, but he has full confidence in his team and expects to win.
Finally, when asked about the team's goals in the Champions League and UEFA Cup, Mourinho said that although winning the Champions League is unlikely, he believes that the team has the ability to do well in the UEFA Cup. However, he prefers the team to show their strength in the Champions League, as that is the stage he aspires to more as a coach.
