Leon Balogun warns teammates against Mourinho’s tactical “pack-the-bus” comeback

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nigeria defender Leon Aderemi Balogun has warned his Rangers teammates to remain vigilant ahead of their second-leg clash against Fenerbahce, cautioning them against the tactical genius of Jose Mourinho.

Rangers secured a solid 3-1 victory over Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the first leg in Turkey, but Balogun insists the tie is far from over, particularly when facing a manager with Mourinho’s pedigree.

The Nigerian defender acknowledged that Fenerbahce, led by the “Special One,” will be intent on overturning the result in Scotland.

Cyriel Dessers played a key role in Rangers’ impressive first-leg win, scoring and assisting, but Balogun understands the danger of underestimating Mourinho’s tactical acumen.

Mourinho, known for orchestrating dramatic European comebacks, will surely be plotting to expose any weaknesses in Rangers’ game.

Speaking to Sky Sports, as reported by Daily Record, Balogun stressed the importance of staying focused on the task at hand.

“It’s a big week with two perfect fixtures. Obviously, Fenerbahce is first up, and we had a very good result over there, but we’re going against the Special One with some very good players, and I think it’s far from over,” he said.

“I can only speak for myself, but it really is like that (one game at a time). I don’t think about the weekend so much.

“Obviously, it is there, but those games are always big. Right now, the main focus is getting through to the next round in Europe, therefore, we have to focus on Fenerbahce. I’m sorry to be boring!”

Balogun also acknowledged Mourinho’s ability to adapt, adding: “It was a really good result and performance. But like I said, this is Mourinho, and I’m sure he will have a few tricks up his sleeve.

“He wouldn’t have been happy at all after the tie over there, but I think there’s a lot of confidence for us to take, and we can probably up our game in terms of on the ball.”

With Mourinho’s track record in high-stakes European encounters, Rangers will need to remain sharp and focused if they are to finish the job and progress to the next round.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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