The reigning Premier League champions have struggled domestically, losing eight of their 15 top-flight matches this season to leave them in 14th position.
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The result took the pressure off Mourinho after intense speculation that the coach, who has won the Champions League with both Porto and Inter Milan, might lose his job if Chelsea failed to qualify for the knockout stages. When we won it with Inter in 2010 we were not candidates.
“When we were candidates with Real Madrid we lost two semi-finals and the same with Chelsea, so you never know”.
Chelsea can play Paris St Germain – for a third straight season – PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Juventus, Roma or Gent in the next round. “They want to get us or Zenit because they think we are weaker”, said Mourinho, omitting the other seeded team, Manchester City.
But he then proved a constant threat, testing Porto’s experienced Spanish goalkeeper to re-ignite a rivalry dating from their time at opposing Madrid sides Real and Atletico.
And despite having lost just one of their five games in Europe, that came in the reverse fixture, as the Blues were lucky to come out only 2-1 losers in September.
And Mourinho believes his side benefited from the sort of fortune that has so far deserted them in domestic competition.
“Luck is part of the game and in the Premier League we have been unlucky”.
Dynamo responded to taking the lead by putting the brakes on, as they shut down a match which was already being played in a stifled atmosphere as Dynamo serve their stadium ban following racist behaviour from fans in the match against Chelsea.
Without the goal-line technology available in the Premier League, it was up to the official to adjudge whether the ball had crossed the line, and he got the decision spot on to settle early Chelsea nerves.
Eden Hazard sent him through on goal for a shot which was saved by Iker Casillas.
Chelsea possible starting lineup: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Zouma, Azpilicueta, Matic, Fabregas, Pedro, Hazard, Willian, Costa.
Mourinho’s side should be particularly careful of forward Yacine Brahimi who has a good long range shot on him and has scored two curlers into the top corner in the past couple of games alone.
“Yes there is a lack of confidence clearly, but not a lack of effort”.
“The results are not as good as the way we are working every day, but after our first goal we were more relaxed and confident”. This season he couldn’t.
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And if the owner shows me that belief twice – one, when he brought me back to the club, the second time when he gave me a new contract, for four years – I don’t think the owner is a person to change with the wind.
