The Blues taking on table-topping Leicester City on Monday night.
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Victory over Porto and a place in the Champions League knockout stages has revitalised Mourinho’s belief in his squad, though, and he is certain Diego Costa and Eden Hazard will soon find the net as a matter of routine. Some players resented Mourinho’s public and private criticisms but Roman Abramovich has stayed faithful to him, unlike Ranieri who he ditched after a Champions League semi-final defeat to Monaco. “I even feel a little bit … not knowing how to react when the people are so nice and they sing my name, you know, “Stand up for the Special One”.
Mourinho was unhappy to see Garry Monk lose his job as Swansea boss this week and criticised the culture of firing managers.
“When you finish a cycle, another cycle opens”, Mourinho said.
Despite their struggling domestic form this season, Mourinho has remained largely popular amongst the club’s supporters, and the Portuguese mentor says it is somewhat embarrassing. So, yes, clearly there’s a lack of confidence but his attitude was very good and his movement was much better.
“The start of the season has not been good for me – not in how I have played nor in goals”.
It was the first time in this strangely perplexing season that one of Chelsea’s targets had been achieved: namely to finish top of their UEFA Champions League group.
Mourinho said that the Blues have no fresh injury concerns coming into the game against the league leaders, meaning that only Radamel Falcao remains unavailable.
Speaking to reporters, Mourinho said, “I imagine myself finishing my contract with Chelsea”.
“It doesn’t matter for us, it’s just a team”. “I don’t need someone to tell me that I’m not having a great season”.
With Leicester away, Sunderland and Watford at home, then Manchester United and Crystal Palace away in the next three weeks, this spell will define Chelsea’s season. “While mathematically it’s possible we have to try”. No-one said at the beginning of the season Leicester would be first in December.
“If you could give an award for the first six months of the competition everybody is miles away from him and every club is miles away from what Leicester are doing”.
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“I think we did well enough to have a different result [against Bournemouth]”. Another thing is to be top of the league in December. “So I completely trust him”.
