Mourinho flown out of Istanbul to undergo urgent surgery

Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly left Istanbul to undergo surgery for an unspecified health issue. Turkish journalist Yagız Sabuncuoğlu broke the news, stating on X :
“Jose Mourinho will leave Istanbul today to undergo surgery abroad due to a health problem he is experiencing.”

The development comes a day after Fenerbahçe were held to a 1-1 draw against Eyüpspor, a result that left Mourinho visibly frustrated on the touchline. The draw further dented the club’s title hopes, as they now trail fierce rivals Galatasaray by five points at the top of the Turkish Süper Lig.

Speaking after the match, the Portuguese tactician described the performance as a “disaster,” criticizing the game’s quality and the frequent stoppages.

“It was a disaster. How much of the match was played? How many stoppages were there? How long were the players on the ground? This happened many times. Therefore, the quality of the match was low, with many technical errors.”

Mourinho confirmed that he and his squad would be taking a break as Turkish football enters its winter recess, with Fenerbahçe not set to return to action until January 5. Despite the respite, Mourinho admitted he is not looking forward to the downtime.

“We will have a few days off, but it will not be a happy period for me,” he said. “For the players, it depends on their mentality. But I would prefer not to have this off period. We promised the players long ago, and for many, it’s an important opportunity to rest. We will continue to work very hard in the second period of this two-week break.”

The 61-year-old Mourinho, one of the most decorated managers in football history, is renowned for his managerial stints across Europe. A legendary figure in Serie A, he famously led Inter Milan to a treble in 2010 and secured Roma’s first European trophy by winning the UEFA Conference League in 2022.

His record in Serie A includes 93 wins from 172 matches, with an average of 1.87 points per game. Fans and pundits will hope Mourinho returns to full health as he aims to reignite Fenerbahçe’s title challenge in the new year.