Mourinho must emulate 2012 Blues heroics for European return

Failure to grab the needed home result against Porto could spell disaster for Mourinho, despite being publicly backed by demanding owner Roman Abramovich, but another Europa League win would see Chelsea also qualify for Europe’s elite club competition next term, if they end in third place this week.

“I know that in this moment, it looks that to win the Europa League would be an easier way to be in the Champions League next season than to finish in the top four,” stated the 52-year-old.

“But there is another possibility, which is to win the Champions League. Yes, it is harder than winning the Europa League, but this is the competition where we are [in].

Mourinho sees Europa League as distraction

Mourinho outlined his desire to avoid the Europa League, claiming teams that enter from the Champions League gain an unfair advantage, but it’s clear that he simply regards the secondary competition as a mere distraction from domestic duties.

“I was always against the teams that are knocked out of the Champions League going to the Europa League because I think there is such a difference in the level of competition,” continued the Blues boss, whose team are 2/1 to beat Porto to nil.

“It is not fair for the teams that are in the Europa League to do the group phase then in February to get the teams that are knocked out of the Champions League.

“I think if you are knocked out of the Champions League, you should go home and focus on domestic competitions.

“We want to play Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern [Munich] – we want to play all the big teams and for that we need to win tomorrow.”

European mission

During a previous lacklustre season in 2011/12, Chelsea eventually finished in sixth position domestically under caretaker coach Di Matteo, but salvaged their Champions League spot for the following term with a dramatic European final win over Bayern Munich.

The next campaign, Rafael Benitez was in the Stamford Bridge dugout and could only see his Blues side finish third in their Champions League group, but ultimately ended as Europa League champions and returned to the primary competition in their following season, when ‘the Special One’ regained control.

Current boss Mourinho, now into his second spell in charge, will want to avoid taking the same route as long-standing rival Benitez did, but will seek to emulate the 2012 heroics under Di Matteo by clinching Champions League glory, as Chelsea’s domestic failings continue.

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