Jose Mourinho insisted his desire to win is “bigger” than ever, and thanked Chelsea fans for the reception they gave him on his return to Stamford Bridge.
The self-styled ‘special one’ was unable to inflict defeat on the club where he won three Premier League titles in two spells as manager, as Benfica fell to a 1-0 defeat to the Blues in the Champions League group phase on Tuesday night.
The only goal of the game was an own goal by Benfica defender Richard Rios in the first half.
Chelsea fans could be heard chanting Mourinho’s name in the second half, and many think very fondly of the Portuguese for the positive impact he had on the club during his two stints in charge.
Asked whether he will hold dearly his memories of the reception he received, Mourinho replied: “Yes, but I don’t fill myself with these memories. I fill myself with victories and results.
“Of course, I thank them — I did it on the pitch. Of course, I was focused on the game, but I heard a little bit of the sound.
“I live around [here], and when I am in London I meet them [Chelsea fans] every day on the street. I know that it is going to be a relationship again. Hopefully I come back here in years with my grandkids. They [fans] belong to my history, and I belong to their history.”
Pushed on whether his team deserved more from a match in which they pushed hard for an equaliser which never arrived, he replied: “Yes, no doubt. We had chances for sure. I don’t know if I can say ‘big’ chances.”
Mourinho was then asked how great his desire is to still win matches, after a career that has spanned more than two decades and saw him first rise to global acclaim when he led Porto to the Champions League title in 2004.
He said of the will to win: “It’s bigger. I am desperate to win the next match.”
