Jose Mourinho Set for Fenerbahce's Champions League Debut

Jose Mourinho's first Champions League game as Fenerbahce's coach will take place in Switzerland during the second qualifying round. The match against Lugano will begin in Thun, followed by a return game in Istanbul. Mourinho's goal is to secure Fenerbahce's first Turkish league title since 2014.

Jose Mourinho's much-anticipated Champions League debut as the head coach of Fenerbahce will take place next month in Switzerland, during the second qualifying round.

In the draw revealed on Wednesday, Fenerbahce will face Swiss side Lugano, with the first leg set for July 23 or 24 in Thun. The return match will be held in Istanbul the following week between two teams that secured second place in their respective national leagues.

Mourinho, who recently signed an $11 million annual contract, aims to lead Fenerbahce to their first Turkish league title since 2014. His squad, bolstered by European Championship stars like Mert Müldür, Dominik Livakovic, and Dušan Tadic, seeks to navigate three qualifying rounds to reach the newly revamped 36-team league stage of the Champions League.

Among Fenerbahce's key players is veteran Bosnian forward Edin Džeko, while Lugano's notable talents include Swiss winger Renato Steffen and Slovenian forward Žan Celar. Lugano, hailing from Switzerland's Italian-speaking region, will play their home games in Thun due to their stadium's failure to meet UEFA standards.

In related news, Dynamo Kyiv will face Partizan of Serbia in another Champions League qualifying path designed for teams that did not win their domestic leagues in high-ranked competitions.

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