‘It wasn’t ideal for the game’ - Mourinho slams UEFA for approving unsuitable stadium

The Portuguese took his place in the dugout for the first time as the new Fenerbahce manager, defeating Lugano 4-3 away from home.

The former Roma manager witnessed his team's awful start as they fell behind by a goal scored by Ayman El Wafi in just four minutes.

However, Dzeko seized the stage, scoring twice in a minute to give Fenerbahce the advantage in the match.

Lugano equalised in the 64th minute before Dzeko completed his hat-trick three minutes later and Ferdi Kadioglu then gave the Turkish team some breathing space.

The home side pulled a goal back deep in stoppage time, but Fenerbahce managed to hold on to the win

Mourinho was angry with UEFA after deciding that the home team's usual venue was inappropriate for a Champions League qualifying match and shifted the match to Thun, which is 135 miles from Lugano.

This implied that the game was played on a synthetic field, which Mourinho called a "challenge" for his team.

According to Daily Mail, Mourinho said, “We tried not to make excuses before the match, but playing quality football on a synthetic pitch is a challenge.

“The ball doesn’t move as it should, players struggle to dribble, and the game's pace slows significantly. I can’t fathom why UEFA permits Champions League matches on synthetic surfaces. 

“It’s also perplexing why a good team like Lugano would choose to play on such a pitch. It wasn’t ideal for the game.”

The two-time Champions League winner was displeased with stadium approval for their game against Lugano.

The second leg is scheduled for Tuesday in Turkey the following week, and Fenerbahce is the favourite to advance to the Champions League group stages.