José Mourinho Parts Ways with Fenerbahçe After Champions League Exit

Fenerbahçe have officially announced that they have parted ways with head coach José Mourinho. The decision comes in the wake of the club’s failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League after an aggregate loss to Benfica in the playoff round. Mourinho, who joined the Turkish side in June 2024, leaves the position after just two games into the 2025–26 season. 

His tenure at the club, though short-lived, saw a strong second-place finish in the Süper Lig but yielded no trophies. Fenerbahçe’s European campaign was cut short in the Europa League round of 16 by Rangers, and domestic cup aspirations ended with a quarter-final exit. The final blow was the 1–0 defeat to Benfica, which sealed their Champions League fate and prompted the departure. 

The club’s official statement on August 29, 2025, expressed gratitude to Mourinho for his services since his arrival in the 2024–25 season and wished him success in his future endeavors. 

As negotiations for a replacement get underway, Fenerbahçe fans and football analysts will be closely monitoring how the club responds to this managerial reshuffle and whether a new appointment can restore momentum to their domestic and European efforts.