Thursday’s UEFA Europa League second-leg clash between Anderlecht and Fenerbahce was temporarily halted for 15 minutes due to disturbances in the stands. However, off the pitch, Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho found himself in a rather awkward yet affectionate interaction with an Anderlecht steward.
Fenerbahce, who had secured a dominant 3-0 lead in the first leg in Turkey, increased their aggregate advantage to 4-0 early in the second leg. Youssef En-Nesyri found the back of the net just four minutes into the match in Belgium.
But shortly after, chaos broke out in the stands as fans clashed, prompting the referee to stop the game. Riot police swiftly moved in to manage the situation, while stewards worked to keep order. The stadium’s big screen displayed messages urging fans to calm down, but the disruption led the referee, Sandro Schaerer, to call for both teams to retreat to the center of the pitch and head back to the dressing rooms.
Following a delay of around 15 minutes, the match resumed with Anderlecht quickly getting on the scoreboard. Luis Vazquez pulled one back for the Belgian side in the 19th minute, making it 1-1 on the night.
The game saw no more goals in the first half, but a memorable moment occurred on the sidelines. Mourinho was caught on camera sharing a somewhat awkward, yet friendly, hug with a steward who was significantly shorter than him. The steward, initially smiling, seemed a bit taken aback by the embrace. The incident was aired live on TNT Sports 3, with the commentator humorously remarking, “Jose’s made a friend!”
The match ended in a 2-2 draw after second-half goals from Vazquez and Yusuf Akcicek, with Fenerbahce progressing to the round of 16 with a 5-2 aggregate win. Mourinho’s side will face either Rangers or Olympiacos in the next round.
