Teams will want to draw Chelsea in last 16, says Jose Mourinho

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho revealed his satisfaction with his side’s performance in their 2-0 win over FC Porto, describing his charges as “brave”.

“Every team finishing second want to get us, they want to get Zenit”. “They don’t want to play Barcelona, they don’t want to play Real Madrid, they don’t want to play Atletico, they don’t want to play Bayern”.

“The Champions League is very important to go through to the next stage with the best teams in Europe”.

While the victory over Porto saw Mourinho’s old club fall into third spot after Dynamo Kiev had leapfrogged them with their win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv, the Portuguese tactician would have undoubtedly been delighted with the fact that his side had progressed.

The pair worked together at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013 but their relationship turned sour during Mourinho’s final season at the club.

Jose Mourinho thought his team had begun to turn the corner following a 1-0 win over Norwich and a goalless draw against Tottenham, but they were stunned by the Cherries at Stamford Bridge.

Iker Casillas has shrugged off criticism seemingly aimed at him by the official Chelsea website in the build-up to the Champions League clash between Porto and the Blues on 9 December.

Chelsea players Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic celebrate Porto’s own goal to open scoring in their Champions League contest.

“No problem. I’ve done my job and he has done his, and he has done well”, Mourinho said.

“His lack of confidence?”.

Had Abramovich persevered with Ranieri, it’s more than likely the Russian would have had his appetite for trophies sated, but that’s not the order of things in the Stamford Bridge boardroom, where patience has historically been a scarce commodity. “His lack of confidence?”.

Costa has failed to show the form of last season when his 20 league goals propelled the Blues to the title, netting just three times this term.

“Obviously in the big teams sometimes we face very low blocks where technical players to play in the box are very much needed, but I think a fast player with objective and being direct can have success everywhere”.

“The first goal was an own goal but his movement is great, the pass arrives”.