Jose Mourinho has never been one to shy away from giving his opinion on Chelsea, a club where he remains one of the most iconic managers in history.
This week, as he prepared to lead Benfica against the Blues in the UEFA Champions League, the Portuguese tactician was asked to share his thoughts on Chelsea’s current state under Todd Boehly’s ownership.
For Mourinho, it has been a journey of mixed impressions.
“Honestly, I don’t know the model. There was a set period when even myself, from the outside in, cast some question marks over it because it looked like Chelsea had lost their identity as a club,” he admitted.
But according to the two-time Chelsea boss, things have shifted in the right direction. He credited Enzo Maresca for stabilising the team and restoring belief. “What happened in the last season got things back on track. They gave trust to Enzo Maresca and he brought his ideas. He’s fitted in well with the philosophy,” Mourinho explained.
Reflecting on Chelsea’s recent silverware, Mourinho pointed to the UEFA Conference League and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup as crucial confidence boosters. “The Conference League is made for a big club to win it. I did it with Roma. It’s quite an easy competition to win with a big club.
As for the Club World Cup, I have always said the Champions League is more important but take nothing away [from this win]. That [gold] badge means a lot. It’s the first time a club has won [the expanded] Club World Cup. Congratulations to them,” he said.
For Mourinho, these victories have helped rebuild trust within the fanbase. “Winning these trophies gives everyone a base of trust and confidence, even at supporter level. I feel it. I live five minutes away and my son comes every weekend to the stadium. And the feeling is completely different after the Club World Cup. It was a period of disappointment and doubt, but now it’s one of optimism. I think Chelsea is back on track.”
Chelsea lifted both the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup last season, their first trophies since Boehly’s takeover. With Mourinho predicting optimism around Stamford Bridge, fans will now hope that momentum carries into the current campaign as the Blues chase more silverware.