Jose Mourinho sends message to ‘crazy’ Chelsea owners ahead of Champions League reunion

Jose Mourinho is making a return to Stamford Bridge (Picture: Getty)

Jose Mourinho has blasted Chelsea’s ‘crazy’ owners and their spending as he prepares to make his return to Stamford Bridge in midweek.

Having been sacked by Fenerbahce at the start of the season, Mourinho made a swift return to the dugout as he was hired by Benfica following their decision to sack Bruno Lage.

And his return to Portuguese football has now set Mourinho on a collision course with one of his former sides, Chelsea, who Benfica face in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Mourinho enjoyed two successful stints with Chelsea earlier in his career, winning eight trophies and three league titles under the ownership of Roman Abramovich.

However, the 62-year-old does not appear to have been impressed by Chelsea’s plight in recent years, suggesting the west London club have lost their way under their new owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

‘Chelsea. (Roman) Abramovich’s Chelsea, my Chelsea, the Chelsea we built and lasted for many years was a winning club,’ he said.

‘It was winning everything with me and then with (Carlo) Ancelotti, with (Antonio) Conte and with (Thomas) Tuchel.

Mourinho is now in charge of Benfica after his departure from Fenerbahce (Picture: Getty)

‘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 praised Enzo Maresca’s start to life at Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

Asked about Chelsea’s current manager, Enzo Maresca, Mourinho was more enthusiastic, reflecting: ‘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.

‘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.

‘Then they go to the States and come back with the big badge on the chest so now they have a good, good team.’

Several injuries to key players, most notably Cole Palmer, means Maresca will have a depleted squad for Tuesday’s clash, and Mourinho is more than happy to see the Blues without their talismanic midfielder.

‘I’m happy with that. He’s a phenomenal player,’ he said.

‘But I think they have a good team, in a way that if Cole Palmer doesn’t play, it’s not a problem for them.’

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