Sarcastic Jose Mourinho hits back after red card: ‘That’s why he’s the best in the world’

Jose Mourinho sarcastically labelled Clement Turpin as “the best referee in the world” after reacting with disbelief to his red card during Fenerbahce’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United.

Mourinho was sent off early in the second half shortly after watching Youssef En-Nesyri cancel out Christian Eriksen’s opener for United.

The former United manager and one of his coaches were sent to the stands after reacting angrily when Turpin failed to award Fenerbahce a penalty for a perceived foul by Manuel Ugarte on Bright Osayi-Samuelt.

Mourinho’s furious rant

“He told me something incredible,” said Mourinho, who was seen storming down the tunnel at full-time in the middle of a foul-mouthed rant before speaking to the referee in the officials’ dressing room.

“He told me that at the same time he could see the action in the box and my reaction on touchline. He had on eye on the penalty situation and one eye on the bench and my behaviour.

“That’s why he is the best referee in the world”

Mourinho said that there would be no point in him appealing because he would just run the risk of a long-term suspension if he did. “If I appeal I will get a six-month ban,” he said.

Mourinho has a history of run-ins with officials, particularly in European competition. Last year, he confronted Anthony Taylor in the car park of the stadium in Budapest after disagreeing with one of the English referee’s decisions in Roma’s Europa League final defeat by Sevilla.

And Mourinho joked that it has got to the stage that he might be better off not managing a team that plays in Europe any more as he issued a tongue-in-cheek come-and-get-me plea to a lower level English club.

“I think, if I leave Fenerbahce, I go to a club not in Uefa competition,” he said. “So if any club in England in two years, from low down, wants me [let me know].

“The future for me is maybe better without European competitions because I don’t want to get so upset.”

United were grateful to a stunning double save from Andre Onana to deny En-Nesyri in the first half. Erik ten Hag’s side have now won just once in Europe in the past 19 months and have recorded draws in each of their opening three Europa League matches this season.

Mourinho felt his side deserved to win and United were indebted to Onana. “They got a point against us, not us against them. We played amazing,” he said. “If we play like this in the Turkish league we destroy everything because of course we played against a team with superior level than us. The Premier League has more quality, more intensity and more everything.

“Andre Onana made two fantastic saves. They scored in a situation we knew they could. We had a phenomenal performance. Come on, he saved the result. My goalkeeper didn’t make a save, he made two impossible saves in 10 seconds. He was the most decisive player in the result. Of course he didn’t make 20 saves but he made two that were incredible.

“I know English media will say Manchester United didn’t play well but I think it would be fair to say we did an extraordinary match and we were better than them. A good result for Manchester United.”

Ten Hag rues missed opportunity in Istanbul

Ten Hag felt United should have killed off Fenerbahce earlier in the game and pinpointed a chance for Marcus Rashford in the first half.

“We didn’t take our chances,” the United manager said.

“Rashy had one in the first half. I am disappointed that we did not win.

“We have to take the point and at Old Trafford we have to win our games.”

United were missing eight senior players through injury plus captain Bruno Fernandes, who was suspended, and then lost Antony late in the game. The Brazil winger was taken off on a stretcher only 16 minutes after coming on as a substitute, with Ten Hag saying he would require assessment.

“It’s really unlucky for him,” he stated. “I feel real compassion for him, when he worked so hard in training.

“His training performances are that good that he deserved to come on. When you have to come off so quickly, that is really sad to see. Hopefully, it’s not too bad, we have to wait 24 hours for what the assessment is.”

Ten Hag also paid tribute to Onana’s heroics in goal.

“They were unbelievable saves, it was from second phase from a corner,” he said. “Two saves from Andre [in the first half from Youssef En-Nesyri] were unbelievable. We know he is capable and we saw there that he is a great keeper.”