The fire still burns in Jose Mourinho’s eyes – and so does the pressure.
Ten years have passed since the self-proclaimed “Special One” last hoisted a league title, but the 61-year-old is now deep in the trenches of one of Europe’s fiercest football races, hoping to add a Turkish Süper Lig crown to his decorated resume.
Hired by Fenerbahçe last June, Mourinho was tasked with ending the Istanbul giant’s decade-long title drought – and snapping an even longer 17-year absence from the Champions League group stage.
With just weeks left in the season, Fenerbahçe are still chasing archrival Galatasaray, trailing by three points.
Galatasaray’s shock 2-1 derby loss to Beşiktaş cracked the door open.
For Mourinho, who boasts league titles in England, Italy, Spain and Portugal, winning in Türkiye would mean becoming champion in a fifth country – an achievement few, if any, modern coaches can claim.
Fenerbahçe have been quietly consistent, losing just twice all season: away to Beşiktaş and at home to Galatasaray in September.
But the recent Turkish Cup exit – again to Galatasaray – sparked fireworks.
The match turned chaotic, with Mourinho grabbing Okan Buruk’s nose in a post-match spat that stole headlines.
Mourinho, ever the provocateur, found himself at the center of a storm.
Galatasaray’s vice president called for sanctions; fans and pundits debated whether Mourinho’s antics crossed the line or simply added fuel to a raging rivalry.
Following the fiery derby, the Special One will now watch from the sidelines.
The Turkish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee (PFDK) slapped Fenerbahçe with heavy sanctions, handing Mourinho a three-match suspension – barring him from the bench and dressing room – for his “unsporting conduct.”
Mourinho was also fined TL 292,500 ($7,700).
Midfielder Fred and Mert Hakan Yandaş were each hit with three-match bans, as the fallout from the Turkish Cup clash continues to rock the Yellow Canaries.
On the field, however, Mourinho’s men remain a force.
Strikers Youssef En-Nesyri and Edin Dzeko are combining for over a goal per game, while midfield dynamo Sebastian Szymanski has found the net in three straight games.
But with just nine rounds left, even perfection might not be enough unless Galatasaray stumbles again.
Only the league champion secures a direct ticket to the next Champions League campaign – making every point critical.
Europe roars
Elsewhere in Europe, other stories unfold, but none carry Mourinho’s unique mix of legacy, drama, and desperation.
In Portugal, Viktor Gyokeres is firing Sporting Lisbon’s title charge, having bagged a continent-leading 30 league goals.
His relentless form – highlighted by a Champions League hat trick against Manchester City – has kept Sporting ahead of Benfica by the slimmest of margins.
The two meet on May 10 in what could be a title-deciding clash.
In the Netherlands, Ajax have undergone a renaissance under 35-year-old Italian coach Francesco Farioli.
After last season’s humiliating fifth-place finish and front office chaos, the Amsterdam club has surged to the top, conceding just 20 goals all year. Teenage defender Jorrel Hato has emerged as a standout in the back line.
Further east, Red Star Belgrade are demolishing the Serbian league, unbeaten in 29 matches and boasting a goal difference of +82.
In Switzerland, reigning champions Young Boys are clawing back from early-season turmoil, now in the thick of a six-team title race.
Belgium’s Genk, Croatia’s Hajduk Split, and Poland’s Rakow Czestochowa are all battling through fierce three-way races.
Even outside Europe’s top five leagues, the finish lines are laced with tension, opportunity, and glory.