Tedesco replaces Mourinho as Fenerbahce coach

Former Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco has replaced Jose Mourinho as manager of Turkish outfit Fenerbahce on a two-year contract, the Istanbul club said Tuesday.

"Our new coach is Domenico Tedesco," Fenerbahce announced on X, adding that the Italian-German manager would be assisted by former team captain Gokhan Gonul.

Tedesco, 39, had coached Belgium from February 2023 until he was sacked last January. He previously managed Schalke, Spartak Moscow and RB Leipzig.

Portuguese Mourinho was dismissed on August 29 after the club failed to make the lucrative Champions League league phase, losing to Benfica in the qualification playoffs.

Hopes had been high when the 62-year-old arrived in Istanbul 14 months ago.

"No promises. But it is obvious that the main target, the main dream is to win the Turkish Super Lig," the two-time Champions League winning coach had said.

But he failed to make good on his dream of ending the title drought that has plagued the 19-times league champions since 2014.

The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Roma coach led Istanbul's Yellow Canaries to second place in the league last season behind Galatasaray.