NYON: Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce were rewarded for squeezing into the Europa League knockout stage by being drawn Friday to face Anderlecht in a two-leg playoff.
Fenerbahce placed 24th in the new 36-standings format — the last qualification place, and on a tiebreaker of goal difference — and will host the first leg on Feb. 13.
The return game in Brussels is one week later.
Mourinho was hired to end Fenerbahce’s decade-long wait for a Turkish league title, though trails Istanbul rival Galatasaray by six points. Galatasaray also were in Friday’s draw and will face AZ Alkmaar, with the first game in the Netherlands.
Two of Mourinho’s former clubs, Porto and Roma were paired, and Ajax were drawn to face Union Saint-Gilloise which will host the first leg in Belgium.
The playoff round draw involved teams which placed from ninth to 24th over the new eight-game schedule that ended Thursday.
The round of 16 pairings are made on Feb. 21 also involving the top-eight teams in the league phase.
They include two more of Mourinho’s former clubs, Manchester United and Tottenham, plus Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiakos and Rangers.
Mourinho and Fenerbahce to face Anderlecht in Europa League playoff round
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Mourinho and Fenerbahce to face Anderlecht in Europa League playoff round
- Fenerbahce placed 24th in the new 36-standings format and will host the first leg on Feb. 13
- Mourinho was hired to end Fenerbahce’s decade-long wait for a Turkish league title
Dubai Basketball in good form ahead of Bayern Munich clash
- Dubai tackle German club on the back of wins in ABA League and tight EuroLeague clash
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball closed a demanding week on two fronts with a statement win in the ABA League and a narrow, hard-fought EuroLeague battle in Bologna, underscoring the team’s rising profile across Europe’s top competitions.
Last night, Dubai Basketball extended their flawless start to the ABA League Group A campaign, securing an 8-0 record with an impressive 74-88 road victory over Igokea in Laktasi.
The team controlled the game from the early stages to build a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter. From there, the visitors managed the contest with confidence and precision on both ends of the floor.
Mfiondu Kabengele delivered a standout performance, producing 20 points, 10 rebounds and a 29 valuation. McKinley Wright guided the offence masterfully, contributing 10 first-half points and shaping Dubai’s rhythm throughout the night.
The win preserved Dubai’s perfect ABA League record as they continue to set the pace in Group A.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Dubai Basketball’s Head Coach Jurica Golemac said: “This was a very important victory for us after a tough loss three days ago. The team showed a professional approach from the start and controlled the game for 40 minutes.
“Twenty-seven assists tell the story; we played team basketball, shared the ball, stayed physical on defense and deserved the win. We take the positives and move forward.”
A dramatic EuroLeague Round 14 encounter against Virtus Bologna on Friday saw Dubai fall just short, 79-78, after a tense fourth-quarter finish.
Despite overturning a 13-point deficit to lead at half-time and winning the rebounding battle 39-30, a pair of late three-pointers from Virtus Bologna’s Luca Vildoza proved decisive.
With the club sitting at 6–8 in the EuroLeague and firmly in the hunt, all eyes now turn to the home game against Bayern Munich in Round 15 at Coca-Cola Arena on Dec. 12.
