Chelsea FC vs FC Porto: Mourinho insists he has support of Roman Abramovich - 7M sport

Chelsea FC vs FC Porto: Mourinho insists he has support of Roman Abramovich



Posted Wednesday, December 09, 2015 by PA

Embattled Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says he still has the support of owner Roman Abramovich as the Blues look to put aside their domestic troubles and reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

Chelsea host Mourinho's former club Porto on Wednesday night with three teams still in contention to progress out of Group G.

The reigning Premier League champions are top but level on 10 points with Porto while third-placed Dynamo Kiev, who are expected to beat Maccabi Tel Aviv in the night's other match, are just two points back.

The pressure is on both Chelsea and Mourinho - whose side are 14th in the Premier League after losing eight of their opening 15 games - but the Portuguese coach feels he still has the backing of Abramovich.

Mourinho also added that the Blues' predicament is not his sole responsibility in issuing a veiled barb at his misfiring strikeforce, notably Diego Costa and Eden Hazard.

"This is not a one-man responsibility," said Mourinho, who is under contract until June 2019.

"There are no 'ifs'. Win, or draw, or lose. I am an optimistic guy. There are no 'ifs'.

"I did lots of good things in this club for the owner to know the quality I have. 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.

"I know the wind with the results is an important wind. I know this wind is really strong, because the results in the Premier League are really bad, but I think the owner knows who I am, what I gave to the club and the owner believes I am the right person to do the job."

If Porto are to continue in the competition they are likely to have do something they have never done - win in England.

With Dynamo firm favourites to beat beat point-less Maccabi at home, Porto will need to win at Stamford Bridge in a result which could consign Chelsea to third place and the Europa League.

Porto boss Julen Lopetegui said: "We would like to make history as Porto has never won in England before. To do that we'll have to have the perfect game."

Porto have drawn only two of 15 matches in England in European competition - under Mourinho against Manchester United in March 2004 and at Old Trafford in April 2009 - but take confidence from beating Chelsea at the Estadio do Dragao in September.

"This is something that makes our players believe it is possible to beat them again," Lopetegui added.

"But this is going to be a totally different match.

"What is strange is that, arriving in this situation at the end of the group, Chelsea have not yet qualified.

"It's a magnificent opportunity to play at such a great ground and we know we have to win in order to carry on."

Lopetegui sees no relation between Chelsea's domestic form and their European fixture.

"We're not even thinking like that. They are two very different competitions," Lopetegui said.

"They have one of the best managers in history, as well as many top players. We're not expecting this to be easy, at all.

"I think Chelsea is a fantastic team, with a fantastic manager, fantastic players.

"We need to play very well if we want to win at Chelsea."



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