'Captain of the ship'- Solskjaer sinks Mourinho in derby

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made history as Besiktas' first foreign coach to win at Fenerbahce since 2003. A Turkish journalist noted that there is no direct translation for "Ole's at the wheel." He suggested "Gemi kaptani," meaning captain of the ship.

The Besiktas fans, about 2,100 strong, cheered loudly. Solskjaer thanked them after his team's 1-0 victory. This win means he has beaten both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce in his 15 games as manager.

This victory likely ended Jose Mourinho's hopes of winning the league this season. With four games left, Fenerbahce trails Galatasaray by eight points. Despite this setback, Mourinho showed respect for Solskjaer after the match.

Mourinho cupped his hands around Solskjaer's head post-game. The two men had worked together at Manchester United from 2016 to 2021. They shared a moment of camaraderie despite their competitive situations.

"Ole is here for a few months," Mourinho said. "He is experienced enough to learn." He added that they spoke normally before and after the game.

Their post-match media conferences were telling due to translation delays. Before the game, Mourinho hugged Gedson Fernandes, who was on loan at Spurs during Mourinho's tenure there.

Fernandes played but never scored during his time at Spurs. In a tactical shift, he supported makeshift striker Rafael Silva while Ciro Immobile sat on the bench. Fernandes scored after Mert Muldur’s mistake led to an open shot.

Earlier in the match, Fernandes missed a penalty but redeemed himself with a goal. Chaos ensued when Besiktas keeper Mert Gunok collided with Youssef En-Nesyri after saving a penalty kick.

Fenerbahce's bench protested fiercely during this incident, leading to multiple yellow cards issued by the referee. Some media members were escorted out due to unrest among fans.

After Fernandes' goal, chants erupted demanding changes in club leadership. Fenerbahce dominated possession in the second half but failed to score again.

They have now lost four out of five matches against their city rivals this season and are eight points behind Galatasaray with four games remaining. Mourinho acknowledged that the title is slipping away from them.

"I don't speak about them," he said regarding Galatasaray's success. He emphasized focusing on his team instead of external factors affecting their performance.

Mourinho previously criticized Turkish football for being dominated by Galatasaray and described it negatively. In contrast, Solskjaer remained cautious about celebrating too soon after this victory.

He recalled how his team performed poorly following their last big win against Galatasaray last month. Now they aim for third place and a spot in next season’s Europa League.

"The next four games will decide a lot," he stated firmly about upcoming matches against other teams.

Fenerbahce will qualify for next season’s Champions League; however, Mourinho's future remains uncertain amid fan discontent with club management.

"I am not speaking about next season," he concluded regarding potential changes within the club structure.