ISTANBUL (AP) — Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho believes Thursday's opponent Manchester United is one of the two favorites to win the Europa League.
“If I have to say now which are the two biggest candidates to win the Europa League, I think it’s easy, Manchester United and Tottenham,” Mourinho told his pre-match news conference on Wednesday.
The Portuguese star led United to the Europa League title in 2017 during his two-year stint with the club.
Fenerbahce has four points from the opening two games in the competition while United was held to two draws.
United may be down in 12th place in the Premier League but Mourinho said it is “a better team than results are showing”.
“I don’t see any reason for Manchester United to be afraid of Fenerbahce but I think they know it’s not an easy game for them,” he said. “If they come thinking it’ll be easy, it is the wrong approach and I don’t think that will be the approach. They know the game can be difficult for them.”
Mourinho was signed by Fenerbahce in June in a bid to end a 10-year wait for the Turkish championship. He left Roma in January.
Fenerbahce is fourth in its domestic league after eight matches.
United is without captain Bruno Fernandes, who is serving a one-game ban after he received two yellow cards and was sent off in a 3-3 draw in the previous Europa League game at Porto, the club Mourinho steered to the UEFA Cup title in 2003.
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The Associated Press
