The Brazil forward, who is one of the few players who can not be blamed for Chelsea’s season of struggle, struck a curling free-kick to earn a 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev and enhance the Blues’ hopes of progression from Champions League Group G.
Advertisement
The Blues will now look to turn this victory into the start of a turnaround.
Mourinho was punished for saying referees were afraid to award penalties to the Premier League champions after Chelsea’s 3-1 home defeat by Southampton on October 3.
Amid talk of a player revolt and that he had lost the support of a dressing room that no longer wanted to win for him, Mourinho said that the midweek victory illustrated just how much the Chelsea squad remain committed to the cause.
“We knew with a draw that if we win the next two matches we would qualify in second”.
Bosnich, who also played for Manchester United, told talkSPORT: “For me, from an ex-pro’s point of view, it’s always more down to the players than it is the manager”. We conceded with 15 minutes left and the team emerged.
Chelsea will first travel to Israel to play Maccabi Tel Aviv, and then they will host Mourinho’s former club Porto at Stamford Bridge on December 9.
“I was impressed when I saw Liverpool at Anfield, when we beat them 4-1 [in October 2005] and, in the last 10 minutes, Anfield was singing for that team”, added Mourinho. “The most important thing is to finish second [and qualify] but we can still finish first”. We were prepared for the negative moment because they are coming every match and we had a reaction. ‘When the hard moment arrives, ‘ I said to them, ‘face the hard moment.
“It is quite unbelievable what they tried to say today”.
“It is my daughter’s 19th birthday and if I don’t see her from the bench I don’t see her all day”, said Mourinho. In good moments when you see them celebrating on the streets with the bus, it’s easy.
Advertisement
“He loves Chelsea itself, but he loves London, I think, even more”. His delivery might be one of the best in the league as well, Chelsea fans should be happy with the kind of work he has been doing for the club.
