Jose Mourinho says Fenerbache are a "better team than Rangers" ahead of Europa League decider
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 Turks must must overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit in Glasgow after their 18-game unbeaten run was ended by the Scots in Istanbul last Thursday.
Despite admitting Fenerbahce deserved to lose in the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, Mourinho attempted to crank up the pressure on Rangers by stressing on Wednesday evening that 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 or 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 their last three 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," said the Fenerbahce boss. "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 with Dessers, Cerny, Diomande - these fast people - at Ibrox. 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."
Former Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Man United, Tottenham and Roma boss Mourinho does not recall ever being tasked with having to overturn a two-goal first leg deficit away from home in a European tie.
"I have almost 200 matches in Europe, but, honestly, I don't remember losing at home by two," he said ahead of his first competitive match as a manager in Scotland. "So I never had the experience of going into the second leg like that.
"But I was the underdog and I won, I was favourite and I lost. Everything has happened to me. And if you ask me, is it impossible for us tomorrow to do the job? It's not impossible."
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