Mourinho Faces a Big Test! Fenerbahçe’s Road to the Champions League Knockout Stages Will Encounter Lille, a Strong Ligue 1 Contender

The European Championship has just concluded, and the Paris Olympics are about to commence, with the sporting fever generated by major events continuing to rise. Many people may not have noticed yet that the UEFA Champions League for the 2024-25 season has been underway for some time quietly. On July 22, the draw for the third qualifying round of the new Champions League season was announced, presenting an undoubtedly challenging match-up for Mourinho and his Fenerbahçe.

If Fenerbahçe can defeat Lugano of Switzerland in the second qualifying round, their opponent in the third qualifying round of the Champions League will be the formidable French club Lille. Although Lille is no longer coached by Fonseca and has lost the support of Yoro, its squad remains strong, including stars such as Chevalier, Thiago Santos, Angel Gomes, Jegrova, and Jonathan David.

Should they get past Lille, Fenerbahçe will still face one of the winners from three matches: Slavia Prague vs. Union Saint-Gilloise, Red Bull Salzburg vs. Twente, and Dynamo Kyiv / Partizan Belgrade vs. Rangers Glasgow.

Fenerbahçe’s management has helped Mourinho build a team capable of reigniting the fans’ passion. Particularly on the front line, they have brought in several high-quality players to assist seasoned strikers Tadic and Džeko.

New signing Saint-Maximin will join on loan and is expected to create storms on the left flank; En-Nesyri’s transfer seems only a matter of time. Additionally, they have recruited Soyuncu, retained Kadıoğlu who impressed at the European Championship, as well as key players like goalkeeper Livaković and midfielder Fred.

Currently, Fenerbahçe’s top priority is to ensure they eliminate Lugano. There are plenty of examples in history where strong teams were eliminated in the qualifying rounds, such as Marseille last year. However, Mourinho and his Fenerbahçe are well aware that Lille will be a significant obstacle on their path to the Champions League group stages. To achieve their goal of advancing, they must commit fully and give it their all.