Jose Mourinho declared Fenerbahce a better team than Rangers as he challenged Ibrox boss Barry Ferguson not to take a cautious approach against his side in Thursday’s Europa League last-16 second leg.
The Turkish side must must overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit in Glasgow after their 18-game unbeaten run was ended by the Gers in Istanbul last Thursday.
Despite admitting Fenerbahce deserved to lose, Mourinho attempted to crank up the pressure on Rangers by stressing he believes his team are superior to Ferguson’s and remain perfectly capable of progressing to the last eight.
“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.
“We have such an important match on Sunday that if I feel we have no chance, 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.
“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.”
Mourinho tried to goad Ferguson into attacking his team on Thursday by claiming that the Gers support – who have seen their side lose three successive home matches – would not tolerate a defensive approach.
“I don’t know if Ibrox – as a very iconic British stadium like many in Scotland and England – will accept a very defensive performance like they had in Fenerbahce,” Mourinho said.
“That was successful for them, but a very defensive performance. I don’t know if they are going to accept it.
“And we are prepared for both. We are prepared for Rangers to try to play the same way, in a low block, waiting for our mistake, counter-attack.
“Or Ferguson decides to play in a different way and they have a go at us. But we know what we want to do in both occasions.
“I don’t demand we have to come here tomorrow and win 4-0 or we have to qualify. The only thing I demand is that we come here and have a go.”
