Jose Mourinho insists Chelsea aren’t the runaway juggernaut in England and in Europe many have made them out to be – yet.
Mourinho’s Chelsea side begin their Uefa Champions League campaign on Wednesday by hosting Bundesliga side Schalke at Stamford Bridge, with the expectation that this could be a trophy-laden season for the Londoners.
Twice last season Chelsea beat Schalke 3-0 en route to the last four and they have begun the Premier League season in scintillating style, with four wins from four games.
But the Portuguese is pouring some cold water on the hype before it overheats.
“We are far from perfection,” says Mourinho, who has a fully fit squad after Didier Drogba shrugged off an ankle knock.
“We did well (last season). I know that it’s difficult to do better, but we feel we’ve got conditions to try to do better. We’ve got a better team, a better group.”
Mourinho has a cance this year to become the first manager to claim the Champions League title with three different clubs.
Mourinho was unable to steer Real Madrid to a 10th European Cup – something they achieved last term, in Mourinho’s first year back at Stamford Bridge – after leading Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010 to the trophy.
He says it would be an accomplishment to savour, but not one he’s obsessed over.
“If I win it once more, to win with three clubs is unique,” said Mourinho.
“But even if I don’t do it, how many top managers in the world have only one or even not a single one?
“The greatest in our country (Sir Alex Ferguson), he won it twice.
“Even if from this moment I don’t win one more match in the Champions League, my history is there.
“I won it twice and I think that’s fantastic. It’s a question to be proud.
“If at the end of my career I’ve achieved that situation, then good, but it’s far from being an obsession and it’s not something that I think about a lot.
“I have the ambition to win it again, but in this moment I only think about ‘don’t play Europa League’. I want my club to succeed in the group phase.
“We have a championship of six matches and three opponents (in Group G) and we have to do everything to qualify.”
Chelsea achieved reached the pinnacle in 2012, becoming the first London side to win the tournament.
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Manchester United v Young Boys, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Canada
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Sector: Water technology
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