European Super Football

 Jose Mourinho is set to become the new manager of Fenerbahce The 61-year-old will take over from Ismail Kartal, who left Fenerbahce after they finished second in the league to city rivals Galatasaray.  Despite losing just one game and recording 99 points last season, Fenerbahce finished as runners-up. How much of an impact will have Mourinho in Turkey? The club hinted at Mourinho's appointment in a video featuring the Portuguese manager directly addressing the fans with the words "See you tomorrow". Are you ready for tomorrow? 🔥😄 pic.twitter.com/PgbdiegcjE — Fenerbahçe English (@Fenerbahce_EN) June 1, 2024 Mourinho, who has previously managed Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, is the only manager to have won the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League .  Over his 24-year managerial career, he has won 21 major honors, beginning in his home country of Portugal at Benfica and including stints at Porto, Inter Milan, and Tottenham.  M...

It's time to for another sliding doors moment in football  We travel back to 2004. Manchester United face Porto in the last-16 of the Champions League.  Author - Liam C What actually happened? A ontroversial offside call against Paul Scholes became a pivotal moment in European football history. The disallowed goal cost United a place in the quarter-finals, while Porto, managed by the up and coming manager José Mourinho, went on to win the competition and launch Mourinho into the managerial elite. But what if Scholes hadn’t been ruled offside? How might this alternative scenario have changed the landscape of world and European football? Scholes wasn’t offside: United progress Had the linesman not flagged Scholes for offside, Manchester United would have progressed to the next round of the Champions League. Scholes' goal was legitimate, and had it stood, United would have won the tie on aggregate, knocking out Porto and ending their European dreams. With the Red Devils movin...

Chelsea 1 - 0 Benfica  A much-needed win for Chelsea as they picked up their first points of their Champions League campaign. Author |  Lauren W Stadium | Stamford Bridge  View from the stands José Mourinho’s return to Stamford Bridge ended in disappointment as Chelsea edged past his new club Benfica with a narrow Champions League win sealed by Richard Rios ’ first-half own goal.  The affection from the home crowd was evident, with Mourinho serenaded throughout and responding with waves to both ends of the ground, but the evening turned on a moment of misfortune when the Colombian midfielder diverted Alejandro Garnacho ’s driven cross beyond his own goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin . Chelsea, however, did little to convince despite the victory. Garnacho spurned chances on his second start and teenage substitute Estevão Willian forced only a late save from Trubin, while João Pedro ’s stoppage-time dismissal for a second booking made it three red cards in four matches ...

Fenerbahce 1-1 Manchester United  Fenerbahce manager José Mourinho was shown a red card as Manchester United battled to secure a 1-1 draw in their Europa League clash in Istanbul.  Author - Liam C The former United manager was dismissed midway through the second half when tensions escalated after the home side were denied a penalty following Manuel Ugarte's challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel, with the scoreline locked at 1-1. A closer look at what happened United had gone into the break with a lead, thanks to Christian Eriksen’s fourth goal of the season. However, four minutes into the second half, the hosts drew level when Youssef En-Nesyri slipped between United's defenders to nod in Allan Saint-Maximin’s close-range cross. As the atmosphere intensified and the noise levels soared, Mourinho was sent off by French referee Clément Turpin just before the hour mark. The dismissal came after Mourinho led fervent appeals for a penalty when Bright Osayi-Samuel went down following...

Newcastle United 3 - 0 Benfica Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon inspired Newcastle United to a convincing Champions League win over José Mourinho’s Benfica. Author |  Anthony Gates Stadium |  St James' Park Pre match atmosphere Gordon, left unmarked at the far post, gave Newcastle the lead in the first half, calmly steering Jacob Murphy’s cross beyond goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. It was his fourth goal in just three Champions League outings and provided the platform for Eddie Howe’s side to press on after the interval. Barnes extended the advantage with a superb breakaway goal after Nick Pope launched a remarkable 65-yard throw down the right. Antonio Silva misjudged the bounce, allowing Barnes to sprint through and finish off the inside of the post. The winger added his second late on, linking neatly with Gordon before slotting through Trubin’s legs to complete the victory. Gordon celebrates Benfica had their chances earlier in the contest, with Dodi Lukebakio twice going ...

 Let's explore all the key moments from a dramatic night in the Europa League Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0 - 1 Roma (Roma won 1-0 on aggregate) Jose Mourinho's Roma reached the Europa League final after holding Bayer Leverkusen to a goalless draw in the second leg of the semi-final. Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen side could not find the breakthrough as Jose Mourinho delivered a tactical masterclass.  You can hear what Mourinho had to say in the video below. Footage:  JOSÉ MOURINHO | POST MATCH INTERVIEW | BAYER-ROMA - YouTube Is he still the Special One? Click here to read the latest Mourinho news stories. Can the iconic manager win yet another European trophy? His side can look forward to a second European final in as many years having not reached one for 31 years before last season. Who would they be facing though? They would have to wait another 30 minutes before finding out. UECL: Roma win Europa Conference League (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Sevilla 2 - 1 Juventus (Sevi...

This is the latest in our ' big discussion ' series of articles. Here, we will examine Porto's Champions League success in 2004 and ask whether a similar type of success can happen again. Mourinho celebrates in 2004. Photo from  mohamedkaka | Flickr Over the last twenty years, the Champions League has been dominated by a relatively small pool of teams from a limited number of countries. However, it wasn't always like this. Teams like Porto have a proud record in European competition, with their last Champions League victory in 2004. At that time, they were led by a man with a growing reputation. This was José Mourinho. How big an achievement was this in 2004? Porto has struggled to compete with the best in Europe in recent seasons. It is often anticipated that they may struggle to get out of the group stage on occasion. During the upcoming campaign, if you were betting on the Champions League, you would have seen that they were considered huge outsiders. Since Porto...

Benfica 2 - 3 Qarabag Qarabag staged a remarkable comeback in Lisbon to become the first Azerbaijani side to win a match in the Champions League proper. Author | Ed Stadium | Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica Making their first appearance in Europe’s elite competition in eight years, Gurban Gurbanov’s team fell two goals behind inside 16 minutes after strikes from Enzo Barrenechea and Vangelis Pavlidis put Benfica firmly in control. Leandro Andrade reduced the deficit on the half-hour with a fine finish before Kady Borges went close, clipping the post. Three minutes after the restart, the visitors stunned the Estadio da Luz when Marko Jankovic split the defence with a precise pass and Camilo Duran, on his Champions League debut, found the far corner. READ MORE |  Juventus and Dortmund play out a classic in Turin READ MORE |  Mbappe penalties rescue Real Madrid The decisive moment came five minutes from time. Substitute Oleksii Kashchuk collected the ball with his back to g...

 Roma 1 - 0 Feyenoord José Mourinho became the first coach to win all three current men's UEFA club competitions. Let's explore how that happened. You can watch the highlights by watching the video at the bottom of the page. This is the match report from UEFA's official website. Spurred on by their supporters, Feyenoord swiftly looked to reply, forcing Rui Patrício to deal with a succession of threats – Orkun Kökçü's rifled effort the most dangerous of the bunch. In a rapid start to the second half, Mancini diverted onto his own post, before Rui Patrício sprawled to tip Tyrell Malacia's long-range effort onto the woodwork. Danger averted, Mourinho's men could take a breath. Feyenoorders, bedankt voor jullie support dit seizoen in de #UECL . Van Pristina tot Tirana, mede dankzij jullie was het een onvergetelijke reis. ❤️🤍🖤💚 #MakingMemories pic.twitter.com/pWx8boBZyw — Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) May 26, 2022 As the stadium rocked, momentum conti...

 Sevilla 1 - 1 Roma (Sevilla won 4-1 on penalties) Sevilla claimed a record-extending seventh Europa League title as they beat Roma on penalties at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty for the Spanish side following a 1-1 draw. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. Footage from BT Sport.  Sevilla v Roma (1-1) (Sevilla win 4-1 on penalties) | Mourinho Heartbreak | Europa League Highlights - YouTube   The Spanish side have now won all seven of the finals they have played in the competition since 2006. This most recent success sees them qualify for next season's Champions League despite finishing outside the top four in La Liga. There will be a feeling that it could have been so different for Roma and their manager Jose Mourinho, who had won all five of the previous European finals he had been involved in and guided the club to inaugural Europa Conference League success last term. 🗣️ Mendilibar: "I thank the ...

Roma 3 - 4 Juventus Roma and Juventus produced one of the best games of the season. The home side with 3-1 up with only 20 minutes left. However, there was a stunning comeback from Juventus.  Roma's Lorenzo Pellegrini also had a late penalty saved after Matthijs de Ligt was given a second yellow card for handball. The win keeps Juventus in fifth place, but they are only three points behind Atalanta. Roma stay in eighth place, and Jose Mourinho said his side suffered a psychological collapse. You can watch the highlights in the video below. Footage from the Serie A YouTube channel.  More reaction This is one of many tweets posted by the Juventus account after a wonderful match had been concluded. 𝘼𝙖𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚... 😮‍💨 How are your heart rates after that, Bianconeri?? 📈 #RomaJuve #ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/UBasDhIUMJ — JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) January 9, 2022 The Roma account posted the thoughts of Jose Mourinho: "3-1 and 3-2 are different scorelines bu...

Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem earned a deserved win in the Europa Conference League. With players such as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min rested, Tottenham fielded a different starting eleven to the one who beat Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday and they lacked rhythm in a poor performance. Vitesse finished fourth in the Eredivisie last season and created the better opportunities. This sell-out crowd when Wittek finally made their dominance count. You can watch the highlights in the video below.  The Spurs boss Nuno told the media after the match: "The Europa Conference League is like this; there are always tough moments. "We have got two home games left and I truly believe they can help us solve the group." Click here for more Tottenham news This was the second game in this busy period and it was clearly given a lower priority in an important week. This was proven by the relatively inexperienced team chosen. They go to rivals West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday...

How has the world of football translated onto the small screen? We have picked some excellent documentaries and TV series that are worth a watch. Dream Team Dream Team was a drama that aired on Sky One from 1997 to 2007. It chronicled the on-field and off-field affairs of the fictional Harchester United Football Club. It was more dramatic than many of the Netflix and Amazon Prime series based on real-life football teams.  Renford Rejects A series that examines and explores the grassroots side of football. The centre of this show is a five-a-side school football team, made up of aspiring players who had been turned down by their school team. They were named Renford Rejects when a rival player sabotaged their league entry form. They ultimately decided to stick with the name as it suited the outcast nature.  Welcome to Wrexham An American sports documentary series that premiered in August 2022. It documents the events of Wrexham A.F.C. It was told by the club's owners Rob McE...

Ole is no longer at the wheel Manchester United have sacked manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following their 4-1 defeat at Watford. Michael Carrick has been placed in temporary charge while United reportedly seek an interim manager to the end of the current campaign. The club released a statement: "His place in the club's history will always be secure, not just for his story as a player, but as a great man and a manager who gave us many great moments. "He will forever be welcome back at Old Trafford as part of the Manchester United family." See the below for some reaction from that awful performance away at Watford. Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho on an interim basis back in December 2018. He was then given the job full-time in March 2019 on a three-year contract and, in July, signed a new deal with the club until 2024. Solskjaer was the club's fourth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. He had lasted longer than more experienced predecessors...

How has the world of football translated onto the small screen? We have picked some excellent documentaries and TV series that are worth a watch. Dream Team Dream Team was a drama that aired on Sky One from 1997 to 2007; it chronicled the on-field and off-field affairs of the fictional Harchester United Football Club. It was certainly more dramatic than many of the Netflix and Amazon Prime series that are based on real-life football teams.  Sunderland ‘Till I Die Sunderland ‘Till I Die is a documentary series focusing on Sunderland A.F.C. The first series showcases their year in the Championship and a second successive relegation. During the second series, fortunes start to improve for the Tyne and Wear side, but it ultimately ends in heartbreak as they lose in the League One Play-Off Final. All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur This is a documentary series focusing on the 2019–20 season of Tottenham Hotspur. It showcases a difficult season for the club, beginning with the sack...

Matchday three in the Champions League is here... For those teams with 100% records, a win this week puts them on them well and truly on the path to automatic qualification to the last 16. Author |  Peter Grainger This preview will focus on the five English sides competing in this season's competition and their opposition. Mourinho and Benfica head to Newcastle Newcastle United host Benfica at St James’ Park, aiming to follow up their win over Union SG with another step toward the Champions League knockout stage.  Eddie Howe’s team lost their opener to Barcelona but responded strongly in Belgium, and a second win would move them closer to qualification. Benfica travel to Tyneside still searching for their first points of their Champions League campaign after back-to-back defeats, including a 3-2 home loss to Qarabag that cost Bruno Lage his job. Can Benfica utilise Mourinho's experience at this level? City hope to end unwanted Champions League  run against Villar...

 It's time to explore another transfer saga. When Manchester United paid a record £80m to make Harry Maguire the world's most expensive defender in 2019, one of the big attractions was his ability to lead. Maguire had then captained the Old Trafford club within three months of his arrival from Leicester. Less than three months after that, the England man was given the armband permanently following Ashley Young's move to Inter Milan. He is now Erik ten Hag's fifth-choice central defender behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, and even Luke Shaw. As Euro 2024 approaches at the end of this season , England boss Gareth Southgate has told Maguire he needs to play more frequently to remain in the squad. Maguire is no longer United captain Now he's had the club captaincy taken off him. Maguire said he was "personally extremely disappointed" as he revealed it first on social media. He also said: "Since the day I took on the role, three...

Daniel Levy’s exit marks the end of an era at Tottenham Tottenham Hotspur’s executive chairman Daniel Levy, who has stepped aside after almost 25 years in charge, will remain one of the most divisive figures in the club’s history. Author | Greg S The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium   |  The ground Levy helped build He oversaw the creation of the world-class infrastructure Spurs now enjoy, from the £1bn stadium that ranks among the finest in world football to the training headquarters at Hotspur Way in Enfield . Yet for all these achievements, his tenure will always be judged by many through the lens of underachievement on the pitch. Although retaining a minority stake, Levy will no longer be involved in the day-to-day running of the club. His exit will be celebrated by a sizeable section of the fanbase, who long associated his chairmanship with stagnation as much as progress. READ MORE |  Latest Premier League news and stories  READ MORE | What else has been happening ...

AC Milan 3 - 1  Roma AC Milan moved closer to Serie A leaders Inter Milan to a point after a home win over Roma. The hosts took an early lead when Olivier Giroud converted a penalty following a handball by his former Chelsea team-mate Tammy Abraham. They made it 2-0 when Junior Messias' followed up after Giroud hit the post. The England striker Abraham pulled one back, steering in Lorenzo Pellegrini's shot, but substitute Rafael Leao broke clear to score Milan's third goal and seal the win. More progress for AC Milan After a long period without success, Milan are starting to look like a team that can challenge again. Olivier Giroud is really starting to look like an inspired signing. Where will they end up at the end of this campaign? Reaction The match was spoken about across the world, not just in Italy. Jose Mourinho was not happy and his comments were discussed in great detail. He spoke about being offered the AC Milan job at one point "I was offered the Milan jo...

A Manchester United tells us of his emotional connection to the club and why he is so frustrated with the current situation. This is the first article of our Fans Voice series. If you want to get involved, please message us on Twitter and we'll respond as soon as possible. My first United game was the last watched by the old Stretford End. We beat Tottenham 3-1 and was mesmerised by the sights and sounds. In the previous weeks, we had thrown away a lead at the top of old First Division and lost the title to Leeds United. My dad knew this would be my first game and thought it would be a title party, sadly he was mistaken. We only had to wait another year to finally clinch the title and we were both there as we celebrated winning the first-ever Premier League. I was slightly older so was able to appreciate things a bit more. Little did my and my dad know though but football was about to change forever. Domination but at what cost? Over the next six years, United would win everyth...