Fenerbahce's coach, Jose Mourinho, expressed his dissatisfaction with VAR referee Paolo Mazzoleni after the goalless draw against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday.

Mourinho felt that Lyon defender Saël Kumbedi had two fortunate escapes from receiving a red card.

In Mourinho's view, Kumbedi should have been sent off in the 31st minute due to a rough challenge on Fenerbahce midfielder Sebastian Szymański. However, Kumbedi was only shown a yellow card, and VAR did not step in to change the decision.

"The referee made a mistake by giving just a yellow card to Kumbedi for the foul on Szymański," Mourinho said after the game.

"The VAR is there to help the referee when the referee makes a mistake and he didn't call him, because if the referee goes to the screen he gives the red card. It was Mr. Paolo Mazzoleni, very famous in Italy by the way, that didn't call the referee. The referee's mistakes on the pitch are acceptable, the VAR is there to work and it didn't."

VAR was, however, used before half-time after Lyon defender Moussa Niakhaté was shown a red card by referee Simone Sozza for a sliding challenge on Fenerbahce's Irfan Can Kahveci. Sozza overturned his initial decision to a yellow card after reviewing it.