Glasgow Rangers and Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe have been eliminated from the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League, concluding their campaigns prematurely.
In the first round of qualifiers, Rangers suffered a 2-0 defeat to Dynamo Kyiv, which sealed their exit from the competition. The match saw Rangers reduced to 10 men after defender Jefte received a second yellow card. Dynamo Kyiv capitalized on this advantage with two late goals.
Rangers’ coach, Philippe Clement, voiced his frustration over the referee’s decision, stating, “It’s tough for my team. They didn’t deserve this outcome after their performance against Dynamo Kyiv. A single decision had a huge impact on the match.”
He added, “This is only the second time in my 30-year career that I’ve experienced something so unjust. We have to accept it and shift our focus to the league and the Europa League.”
Similarly, Fenerbahçe, managed by Jose Mourinho, were also knocked out after a challenging clash with Lille. Despite a late own goal that extended the match to extra time, Lille emerged victorious with a 3-2 aggregate win over the Turkish side.
Mourinho reflected on the defeat, saying, “We can perform well in the Europa League, but I’d rather not continue this line of thought to avoid complications.” He also commented on a contentious penalty decision, saying, “Only the referee and VAR know the reasoning behind the penalty. I’m proud of my team’s effort.”
Mourinho continued, “The referee needs to uphold the game’s integrity and ensure fair play. If yellow cards had been issued earlier, the game could have changed. However, I can’t criticize the opponents; they are also trying to achieve a result.”
Other notable Champions League qualifiers included Slavia Prague’s 4-1 aggregate victory over Union Saint-Gilloise, Sparta Prague’s narrow 4-3 aggregate win against FCSB, and Qarabag’s impressive 7-2 win over Ludogorets in Bulgaria.
