José Mourinho will undergo surgery in Portugal amid pressure in Türkiye

Fenerbahçe coach José Mourinho left Istanbul this Saturday (21) because of “a health problem”, according to the Turkish press. The commander will undergo a surgical procedure in Portugal to remove the gallbladder, a simple procedure with quick recovery, according to the Portuguese newspaper “A Bola”. Then he will spend the holidays with his family and return to Türkiye in the early days of 2025.

Mourinho took advantage of the two-week break in the Turkish Super League to carry out the surgery. He gave the athletes a week off, as his team only returns to the field on January 5, against Hatayspor. Foreign players have also left Istanbul.

The trip takes place during a delicate period for the Portuguese coach in charge of Fenerbahçe. He has been under pressure from fans and management because of the club’s recent results. With the 1-1 draw with Eyupspor on Friday, the team could see their rival, Galatasaray, take the lead in the Superliga if they beat Kayserispor this Sunday. Galatasaray has 41 points in 15 games, while Fenerbahçe is second in the standings, with 36 in 16 duels.

In the Europa League, the situation is no better. With an irregular campaign, the Turkish club occupies 21st place, with two wins, two draws and two defeats, and is at risk of being left out of the knockout stage.

Mourinho’s relationship with the players has also deteriorated following the team’s recent poor results. After the draw with Eyupspor, the Portuguese exempted himself from blame for the poor football shown and publicly accused his team.

“The players should give more. Some things are difficult in Turkey. Players who have been here for a long time have to adapt. New arrivals too”, criticized Mourinho. “We offer the best to the players in training, they have to give more. It won’t be a happy break for me, how it goes for the players will depend on their mentality.”