José Mourinho has declared he will "always be a Blue" as he prepares to return to Stamford Bridge with Benfica for a Champions League clash. The Portuguese manager, who enjoyed two trophy-laden spells with Chelsea, made the comments at a press conference held at the stadium on Monday.
Mourinho, now 62, was appointed by Benfica on September 18. This will be his first Champions League match since 2020 when he was at Tottenham. Since joining Benfica, following a stint at Fenerbahce, Mourinho has managed two wins and a draw in the Portuguese league.
Reflecting on his Chelsea past, Mourinho acknowledged his deep connection with the club. "Of course I will always be a Blue," he said. "I am part of their history and they are part of my history. I helped them become a bigger Chelsea and they helped me to become a bigger Jose". He also noted that Chelsea is one of the few clubs that honors its past, pointing to the framed photos of him lifting Premier League trophies that adorn the walls of the Ted Drake Suite.
Despite his fondness for Chelsea, Mourinho was keen to stress his commitment to Benfica for the duration of the match. "It will be my Chelsea until the start. It will be my Chelsea after the game. During the game, that's my Benfica and that's all that matters," he stated.
Current Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has described Mourinho as a "legend" and said it would be a "privilege" to welcome him back to the club. "For me personally, he is a legend for this club," Maresca said. "And from Italy, he is also a legend for Inter (Milan) where he won the Champions League, so he is a legend for different clubs in the world. That shows how good he is, how good he has been".
Mourinho also expressed his opinion that Chelsea "lost direction" after Roman Abramovich had to relinquish ownership in 2022, citing "crazy investment" and a lack of clear philosophy. However, he believes that Chelsea are now in good hands with Enzo Maresca, praising the Blues current boss and their Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs.
Maresca, meanwhile, inspires less warmth, and was booed after losing 3-1 to Brighton on Saturday. Chelsea has lost three of its last four games in all competitions, which has added some pressure on Maresca.
