Aug 29, 07:56 AM

Fenerbahce, Besiktas Fire Mourinho and Solskjaer After European Exits

Fenerbahce dismissed coach José Mourinho on Friday, two days after the Istanbul side failed to reach the Champions League group stage by losing 1–0 at Benfica in the playoff round. The Portuguese manager, 62, had been hired in June 2024 and guided the club to a second-place finish in last season’s Turkish Super Lig, 11 points behind champions Galatasaray. A brief statement thanked him for his service but gave no details on a successor. The decision came less than 24 hours after city rivals Beşiktaş terminated Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s contract. The Norwegian, 52, was fired on Thursday when Beşiktaş exited the UEFA Conference League following a 1–0 home defeat to Lausanne that sealed a 2–1 aggregate loss. Solskjær had taken charge in January and steered the team to fourth place in the league but lasted only one domestic match of the new campaign. The back-to-back dismissals of two former Manchester United managers underscore the growing impatience among Istanbul’s leading clubs to regain a foothold in European competitions. Fenerbahce’s shares rose in local trading after Mourinho’s departure, suggesting investors expect a strategic reset as both clubs seek replacements ahead of the season’s first international break.