Mourinho apologizes to Chelsea fans

Costa has scored just seven times for Chelsea since January and four times this season.

Mourinho said the 28-year-old England global could succeed anywhere, although his direct style would be tested.

Chelsea’s Brazilian winger Willian was delighted with Chelsea’s progression to the knockout round of the Champions League and he is confident that the team’s form in Europe stands them in good stead.

“But when we [Mourinho and his coaching staff] won in Porto in 2004 we were not a candidate; when we won in Inter in 2010 we were not a candidate”.

On Wednesday night Mourinho took on Casillas, their first meeting since they worked together at Real Madrid.

Whether he will still be in charge when the competition resumes in February will depend on an improvement in domestic affairs, but Costa believes Mourinho is not at fault for their miserable season so far.

But Mourinho insists Chelsea will finish in the top four, even if they are 14 points adrift of the leaders after 15 games.

“That little bit of luck we never have in the Premier League”, he said.

Chelsea’s Diego Costa looks on as his deflected shot spins off Porto defender Ivan Marcano into the net for an own goal.

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He scored 27 goals as his side fended off both Real Madrid and Barcelona to claim the La Liga title. There is a lack of confidence, clearly, but his attitude was very good and his movement was much better, so goals are coming. So let’s hope we don’t have Blues supporters doing horribly racist things and singing horribly racist songs at a Paris metro stop again like we did last season. This season he couldn’t.

A second half strike by Willian completed a victory that lifted the west Londoners to the top of Group G and eased the pressure on Mourinho.

Those struggles lead to a showdown at Stamford Bridge on the final match day of the group stages against Porto to see who would be relegated to the Europa League and who would win the group, provided that Kiev defeated Maccabi.