Jose Mourinho turned up the heat ahead of Thursday night’s Ibrox showdown by insisting that Fenerbahce are a better team than Rangers.
Despite admitting they deserved to lose 3-1 to Barry Ferguson’s men in Istanbul last week, Mourinho was adamant that they are a superior side and remain perfectly capable of turning the Europa League last-16 tie around.
‘I think Rangers is not a better team than us,’ said the Portuguese coach.
‘And I think we have a chance of qualifying. It’s not hurting, it’s not that I want revenge, or we have to go there to show we are better. It’s nothing about that.
‘It’s just the fact that I honestly think we are better. But, as I was trying to be very honest after the match there and even today, we deserved to lose.
‘I didn’t try to use anything (as an excuse) because we made mistakes, and they capitalised on our mistakes. They were motivated. They were fighting together. They deserved to win, so there are no bad feelings.’
Jose Mourinho claimed his Fenerbahce side are superior to Rangers at press conference
The Portuguese coach makes a few observations during a walkabout at Ibrox
Mourinho even had time for a bit of heading practice ahead of the Europa League clash
Referring to his team’s Super Lig match with Samsunspor on Sunday, Mourinho said: ‘We have such an important match on Sunday that, if I feel we have no chance (at Ibrox), I’d be preparing for Sunday.
‘But I’m not preparing for Sunday, I’m preparing for tomorrow because I think honestly that we have a chance. So while we have a chance, let’s go.’
Mourinho, whose team’s 18-game unbeaten run was ended by Rangers, added: ‘In the last 19 matches, we played 18 good matches and 18 good results, and one bad performance against Rangers and one bad result against Rangers.
‘We all believe that our team in this moment is the team that was 18 matches getting results and we are not the team that played against Rangers last Thursday.”
Meanwhile, Rangers interim boss Ferguson has warned his players to prepare themselves for a Mourinho-inspired backlash.
Despite his team’s 3-1 lead, he claimed he has too much for respect for the decorated former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham boss to assume that Rangers already have one foot in the quarter-finals.
‘First and foremost, I’ve got huge respect for him,’ said Ferguson, when asked about the dynamic of trying to close out a tie against a manager of Mourinho’s pedigree.
‘He’s won 26 trophies in a number of different countries; he’s managed at the highest level. It’s a real challenge for me but, listen, I’m not scared of the challenge.
The interim manager cut a relaxed and happy figure at his press conference on Wednesday
Mourinho has already started mind games by claiming his side are better despite 3-1 deficit
‘Standing on the touchline (alongside him last week), it was an honour for me. He’s got a real good team, he’s a top-class manager.
‘He would have been hurting, I know that for a fact. You’ll see a different kind of Fenerbahce tomorrow night, there’s no doubt about that.
‘We have worked the last three days on different scenarios that I think will happen within the game. We just need to wait and see what happens come eight o’clock, but I’ve got every faith in my group of players.’
After the first leg, Mourinho reminded Rangers not to ‘celebrate too much’ as the tie was only halfway through.
Ferguson insisted there was never any chance of complacency, but admitted his players had every right to celebrate the win last week.
‘I stressed to my players, if you win a game, enjoy it because there’s fans that pay a fortune to come and watch us.
‘Go over, appreciate how far they have travelled and how much they have paid, get in the dressing room, put a bit of music on.
‘Once we get on the bus and back to the hotel, the focus was on the second leg. That was the clear message for me.
Barry Ferguson blows the whistle during a Rangers training session for the Euro clash
Former Rangers skipper Ferguson gets involved in the training session with his players
‘You’ve got to allow yourself to be happy with the performance and the result. But I’d be an absolute idiot if I thought the game was over and done with. There’s no way I was thinking that.’
Rangers are bidding to avoid a fourth successive defeat at Ibrox for the first time in their history after defeats to Queen’s Park, St Mirren and Motherwell, but Ferguson told his players they must embrace playing in front of their own fans.
‘Listen, if you get this place rocking, it’s a proper place to play football,’ he said. ‘I’ve told the guys that, and some of the guys in the squad have played European nights here.
‘When you go out with a certain attitude to the game, there’s no better place to play football.
‘I’ve been here this season; Lyon, the Tottenham game. I’ve been to previous ones, and the place is electric.
‘We need to light that fire in the stands, that’s what we need to start doing. As a manager, I can’t wait. You’ve got to be excited about this.’
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