Manchester United will come up in opposition to former supervisor Jose Mourinho within the Europa League this week when the Purple Devils make the transcontinental journey to Turkey.
Mourinho spent simply over two seasons in cost at Previous Trafford and continues to be the final United boss to win two trophies in a single marketing campaign when he delivered the Carabao Cup and Europa League in 2016/17. He additionally claims a second place Premier League end in 2017/18 to be one of many biggest achievements of his profession given the restrictions he encountered.
The Portuguese was appointed Fenerbahce head coach in the course of the summer time, the tenth completely different membership of his managerial profession within the fifth completely different nation. It has been powerful getting in Turkey’s Tremendous Lig given Galatasaray’s rediscovered dominance. However the Europa League has been kinder, taking 4 factors from opening fixtures in opposition to Union Saint-Gilloise and FC Twente.
Mourinho, who was handed his begin in teaching when he labored alongside the late Sir Bobby Robson, initially as a translator, at Sporting CP, Porto and Barcelona, by no means confronted United in his very early managerial days with Benfica and Uniao de Leiria, nor did he encounter them throughout three seasons at Roma. However the 61-year-old has with 5 of his different golf equipment over the previous twenty years.
Though he’d already gained the UEFA Cup with Porto the season earlier than, it was Mourinho’s two-legged encounter with Sir Alex Ferguson’s United in early 2004 that really put him on the map.
Regardless of Quinton Fortune placing United forward within the Estadio do Dragao, Benni McCarthy scored twice to take an mixture result in Previous Trafford. There, Paul Scholes seemed like he’d achieved sufficient to push the Purple Devils into the quarter-finals on away targets, till Tim Howard may solely parry a late McCarthy free-kick and Costinha turned within the rebound, sending Mourinho and his coat scampering down the touchline in scenes of utter jubilation. Porto went on to win the entire thing.
Shortly after describing himself as “a particular one” in his Chelsea unveiling, Mourinho’s first ever recreation in English soccer noticed United go to Stamford Bridge. A single objective from Eidur Gudjohnsen secured a Chelsea win and Mourinho went unbeaten in opposition to United over 4 video games in 2004/05.
United have been huge underdogs when Darren Fletcher’s solitary objective inflicted an surprising Chelsea defeat within the Premier League throughout 2005/06, however his total report in these fixtures throughout each spells in west London was extremely sturdy. His Chelsea beat United within the first FA Cup closing held on the new Wembley Stadium in 2007, whereas 4 Premier League conferences after Mourinho returned in 2013 resulted in two wins and two attracts.
Mourinho was constructing one thing at Inter that finally topped Pep Guardiola’s almighty Barcelona en-route to successful the Champions League in 2009/10 and finishing a uncommon treble. However within the final 16 of the earlier 12 months’s competitors, his crew fell to United.
The primary leg at San Siro completed 0-0 however headers from Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo within the return at Previous Trafford determined the tie in United’s favour.
Mourinho took revenge for his Champions League exit with Inter when he subsequent confronted United 4 years later with Actual Madrid, additionally on the final 16 stage. Danny Welbeck initially gave the Purple Devils a first-leg lead on the Bernabeu that was cancelled out by Cristiano Ronaldo.
United constructed on that benefit within the Previous Trafford return leg when Sergio Ramos scored an personal objective, however a controversial purple card for Nani opened the door for Madrid. Luka Modric levelled issues on mixture and the participant mismatch proved decisive when Ronaldo scored the winner.
Mourinho’s largest win over United with any membership thus far got here in October 2020 when he took his Tottenham Hotspur facet to Previous Trafford. No followers have been current as a result of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, so the 6-1 thrashing was solely seen on tv. Bruno Fernandes scored an early penalty however then Spurs systematically destroyed United over the remaining 88 minutes.
But defeat to United in April 2021 additionally proved to be one of many closing nails in Mourinho’s coffin at Spurs as he was sacked eight days later and denied the possibility to steer the crew into the Carabao Cup closing.
Mourinho has solely confronted Barcelona (31) and Liverpool (27) extra usually than United in his profession thus far. This week’s assembly together with his former employer can be a twenty fifth encounter, having already gained considerably extra video games than he has misplaced over time.
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