Two-time Champions League winner Jose Mourinho is facing another third qualifying round exit in the competition after losing to a 91st-minute goal at the same stage for the second successive season.
Former Manchester United loan signing Sofyan Amrabat looked to have earned Mourinho’s Fenerbahce a 1-1 draw at Feyenoord with an emphatic 86th-minute strike, only for Anis Hadj-Moussa’s deft added-time header to give Robin van Persie’s team victory.
In Mourinho’s first campaign in charge in 2024/25, the Turkish club equalised late but lost 2-1 at Lille in the 91st minute of the first leg before going out 3-2 on aggregate after extra time in their home game, although they reached the Europa League last 16.
Minute 90+1….
ANIS HADJ MOUSSAAAAAA! 🤯#feyfen 2-1 pic.twitter.com/f2tXulinFs
— Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) August 6, 2025
Feyenoord vs Fenerbahce: Champions League drama
Feyenoord had an early penalty overturned following a Video Assistant Referee review before Netherlands midfielder Quinten Timber opened the scoring in the 19th minute at De Kuip, spinning inside the penalty area for a shot that deflected in via visiting defender Mert Muldur.
Irfan Can Kahveci had a header ruled out for offside for Fenerbache in the 41st minute, with the return leg in Istanbul on Tuesday (20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT).
Scenes 🫨🤳#feyfen 1-0 pic.twitter.com/Q4IJZ8HIO5
— Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) August 6, 2025
Mourinho had described the tie as “50-50” and “a good challenge” beforehand. “The gap between the two matches is less than a week, so I see the chances as even,” added the Portuguese.
“I don’t see us as the favourites, but I also don’t see them as better than us.”
Mourinho praises Van Perside
Two-time Premier League top scorer Van Persie had two spells with Feyenoord either side of eight years with Arsenal, three with Manchester United and three with Fenerbahce, although the 2012/13 English champion with United was never managed by Mourinho.
“Robin was a fantastic striker,” said Mourinho. “We spent many years in the Premier League. I know him better than most people.”
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Now 42, Van Persie started his managerial career at Heerenveen at the start of last season and joined Feyenoord in February, where his assistants include Rene Hake, who was briefly an assistant to Erik ten Hag before the Dutchman was sacked by United last October.
“He’s a young, new-generation manager,” Mourinho said of the former Netherlands international. “Now veteran players want to become managers and are preparing for that.
“Robin… is at a big club and here to show his potential. I hope he succeeds. I wish him success for the rest of the season.”
Champions League third qualifying round results
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Club Brugge scored the only goal of their first leg at Salzburg through Romeo Vermant’s 74th-minute strike.
Dastan Satpaev, who will join Chelsea in 2026, converted a 90th-minute penalty as Kairat won 1-0 at home to 10-player Slovan Bratislava, while Ludogorets drew 0-0 at home to Ferencvaros.
Crvena zvezda secured the largest win of the night, beating Lech Poznan 3-1 away through two goals from Rade Krunic and another by Bruno Duarte, Mikael Ishak drawing the Polish side level for 15 minutes.
Benfica are on course to meet Feyenoord or Fenerbahce in the play-offs – the final two-legged tie to qualify for the league phase – after winning 2-0 at Nice through second-half goals by Franjo Ivanovic and Florentino Luis.
When are the Champions League play-offs?
The first legs of the play-offs take place on August 19 and 20, with the return matches a week later.
Feyenoord or Fenerbahce will be at home to Nice or Benfica on August 20, with the second leg on August 27 (both games 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT).
When is the Champions League league phase draw?
The draw will take place on Thursday, August 28 – a day after the play-off ties come to a close to decide the last teams to qualify.
Timings for the draw were yet to be confirmed at the start of August.
Champions League format
In a change from the previous group stage format conducted until 2023/24, each team now plays eight matches in the league phase, all against different opponents.
Four of those matches will be at home and four away, with the opponents determined according to four seeding pots split by rankings.
Teams will play two opponents from each of those pots – one against a team from each pot at home and one away. The results decide the overall standings in one league.
The top eight sides in the table qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to reach the last 16.
Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season.
Champions League schedule, fixtures 2025/26
The new league phase runs until the end of January, with the play-offs in February and the rest of the knockout stage before the final taking place between March and early May.
Matchday 1: September 16-18 2025
Matchday 2: September 30 – October 1 2025
Matchday 3: October 21/22 2025
Matchday 4: November 4/5 2025
Matchday 5: November 25/26 2025
Matchday 6: December 9/10 2025
Matchday 7: January 20/21 2026
Matchday 8: January 28 2026
When is the Champions League knockout phase?
Knockout phase play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25 2026
Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 and May 5/6 2026
Final: May 30 2026 (Budapest)
When are the Champions League draws?
Third qualifying round: July 21 2025
Play-offs: August 4 2025
League phase: August 28 2025
Knockout phase play-offs: January 30 2026
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final: February 27 2026
When is the Champions League final?
The final will take place on May 30 2026 at the the Puskas Arena in Budapest, which opened in 2019 and is home to Hungary’s national team.
The arena hosted a dramatic 2022/23 Europa League final, when Sevilla beat Mourinho’s Roma on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
