Mourinho has declined into mediocrity; Fenerbahçe lost 0-1 to Benfica and missed the Champions League for two consecutive seasons with zero shots on target.

Mourinho is a title-winning manager, yet recently, aside from his substantial earnings, the quality of the clubs and competitions he’s involved with has declined. He exited the major European leagues prematurely, and even at Fenerbahçe in Turkey, success has been scarce, missing out on the Champions League group stages for two consecutive years.

In the Champions League playoff, Fenerbahçe lost 0-1 to Benfica, missing out on this season’s group stage. This marks the second straight season Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe has been eliminated at the playoff round. Mourinho remains a high-profile coach, but unfortunately, Manchester United’s loss to an English League Two team stole all the spotlight, overshadowing the news of Mourinho missing out on the Champions League again.

Fenerbahçe’s total squad value is 299 million euros, while Benfica’s is 334 million euros, so the teams are fairly evenly matched. However, Fenerbahçe was completely outclassed by Benfica. This summer, Benfica defeated Fenerbahçe twice: first a 3-2 win in a preseason match, and now a crucial 1-0 victory in the Champions League playoff, securing their place once again in the group stage.

Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe didn’t just lose and get knocked out—they lost embarrassingly, registering zero shots on target throughout the entire match. In recent years, Mourinho seems to have lost his attacking touch, especially against evenly matched opponents, resorting mostly to counterattacks with barely any offensive strategy. Fenerbahçe’s failure to reach the Champions League with zero shots on target surely displeased the club’s leadership, but Mourinho’s high salary likely means they will part ways after this season. It will be difficult for Mourinho to find a respectable club to manage in the future, as any club wants to play attractive football. Currently, Mourinho’s tactics are unattractive, and his results are lacking.