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Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has given his verdict on his old club as they prepare to go head-to-head in the Champions League.
The Blues will face Benfica in the league phase fixture of the Champions League on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge, The game will give Mourinho the opportunity to return to the home of his former employers for the first since he was in charge of Tottenham Hotspur in 2021.
Mourinho enjoyed two spells as Chelsea manager under the club's former owner Roman Abramovich, and was most recently in charge of Fenerbahce before his exit last month. The 62-year-old was recently appointed as the new manager of Benfica, the club where he began his managerial career more than 20 years ago.
As Chelsea and Mourinho prepare to go head-to-head this week, the former Blues boss has weighed in on the club's current position under the new ownership, Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly.
"Chelsea. [Roman] Abramovich's Chelsea, my Chelsea, the Chelsea we built and lasted for many years was a winning club," Mourinho told reporters over the weekend.
"It was winning everything with me and then with [Carlo] Ancelotti, with [Antonio] Conte and with [Thomas] Tuchel. Chelsea was a winning machine. Every season, Chelsea was winning.
"Then there was a big change with crazy investment and a period of a few years where it looked like they lost direction - with too many players, too many millions, accumulation of players and a team without a clear philosophy. For a couple of years, it was hard. For one that loves the club, it was hard."
Mourinho went on to praise the work done by Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, particularly guiding the club to triumphs in the Conference League last season and the FIFA Club World Cup during the summer.
"[Enzo] Maresca arrived and step by step, the puzzle was made. Even the Conference League is a fantastic competition for a team like that to win," said Mourinho.
"It gives you that first cup and the philosophy and the culture of the club for winning. If you cannot win the Premier League you win something, so they won the Conference League," said Mourinho.
"Then they go to the[United] States and come back with the big badge on the chest [Club World Cup] so now they have a good, good team."
Chelsea can end the 2024/25 Premier League season on a high, but it is never quiet at Stamford Bridge and the summer looks set to be one full of news, with Enzo Maresca looking for transfer to bolster his squad.
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