Jose Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge as his Benfica side takes on Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
However, this Chelsea side is very different from the one the Portuguese manager was in charge of, as there has been a change in ownership of the Blues since Mourinho left.
On his return to West London, Mourinho will be looking to pile the pressure on his counterpart, who comes into the game in a poor run of form.
The pressure is on Enzo Maresca to deliver a strong performance and result off the back of consecutive Premier League defeats to Manchester United and Brighton.
A loss in the first Champions League game to Bayern Munich has made a result imperative for the Italian, who already has people calling for him to be replaced in his role.
It has been reported that Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is willing to give Maresca time to turn things around at Stamford Bridge, and it’s not a surprise that Mourinho has shared his verdict on the Chelsea owner.
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Jose Mourinho shares his thoughts on Chelsea owner Todd Boehly
Given that Boehly is reportedly backing Maresca to redeem himself at Chelsea, Mourinho has praised how the American has put trust in Maresca to deliver at the top level, and he believes Chelsea are now ‘back on track’ as a result.
He said: “Even from the outside, I wondered about Chelsea’s identity as a club but the last season put things back on track. They gave trust in Enzo, he brought his ideas, he fit the philosophy of the club. The Conference League is an easy club for a big club to win – I did it with Roma – it is quite easy for a big club.
“The Club World Cup, I also say the Champions League is much more important, but the badge means a lot. It means a lot to be the first club to win that Club World Cup. It gives them a base of trust and confidence.
“I feel it at the supporters' level. I live five minutes from here, and we know the Chelsea population. It was a period of doubt, but now it is a period of happiness and trust. I think Chelsea is back on track.”
While it’s kind of Mourinho to praise the Chelsea ownership, it's hard to rule this out as a tactic by the Portuguese coach to keep the spotlight firmly on Chelsea ahead of the Champions League encounter against Benfica on Tuesday night.
Chelsea news and related links
- Jamie Carragher’s blistering verdict take leaves Chelsea fans with questions
- Enzo Maresca delivers his verdict on Alejandro Garnacho's performance against Lincoln City
- Chelsea facing major defensive crisis with two fresh injury concerns