José Mourinho has returned to Stamford Bridge, calling himself “the biggest one” and reflecting on his record-breaking time at Chelsea. The former manager, now with Benfica, said he remains Chelsea’s greatest manager and is proud of his history with the club.
Mourinho will face Chelsea on Tuesday in a Champions League match, just 11 days after joining Benfica following his dismissal from Fenerbahce. Despite past tensions during his Stamford Bridge visits, Mourinho expects no hostility from Chelsea fans this time.
He recalled previous returns, including the 2017 FA Cup visit as Manchester United manager, when he was booed by the crowd. He joked that until another manager wins four Premier League titles at Chelsea, he remains “the biggest one.”
“Chelsea is a winning machine that had in the past two or three years a moment without trophies,” Mourinho said. “But Chelsea won something before my time. Then we started winning, and my team kept winning. With new teams and coaches, they won more trophies, European trophies, the biggest one, the Champions League. Chelsea is a winning machine. I am the biggest one until someone wins four.”
Mourinho won three Premier League titles at Chelsea across two spells. He has also returned to Stamford Bridge as manager of Inter Milan, Manchester United, and Tottenham. His only win in seven visits came with Inter in 2009-10, on the way to winning the Champions League.
During his press conference at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho was surrounded by photographs of his Chelsea triumphs. He highlighted the club’s respect for its history and principles.
Mourinho’s family home is nearby in south-west London. He shared that his son still visits Stamford Bridge every weekend. Mourinho explained his approach to Tuesday’s match: he will represent Benfica fully during the game but remains emotionally connected to Chelsea.
“I’ve already played here with Tottenham, Man United, and Inter Milan. In 90 minutes, I didn’t think where I was or who I was playing. So I say: ‘I am not a blue anymore … I am [Benfica] red now,’” Mourinho said. “But of course, I will always be a blue. I am part of their history, and they are part of mine. I helped them become a bigger Chelsea, and they helped me become a bigger José.”
He praised Chelsea for honoring its past. “Many clubs try to erase history, but Chelsea shows it values its principles and legends,” he added.
Mourinho also addressed a previous controversial moment at Stamford Bridge. In October 2018, during a Manchester United-Chelsea match, Mourinho’s reaction after a stoppage-time goal was misinterpreted.
“One member of the Chelsea dugout insulted me,” he said, referring to Sarri’s assistant Marco Ianni. “I reacted to that, not the goal. Chelsea handled it very well. I also told them not to sack the assistant. Everyone can make mistakes, but the club respected that, and so did I.”
Mourinho expects a warm reception from fans on Tuesday. “I don’t think Chelsea fans will boo me. On the street, they always greet me for pictures and autographs,” he said. The Portuguese manager appears ready to focus fully on Benfica while celebrating his lasting legacy at Chelsea.
