“I am number one. When they have somebody that wins four Premier Leagues for them, I become number two. But, until this moment, Judas is number one.”
It was cries of “Judas” from the Stamford Bridge faithful in a FA Cup quarterfinal between Chelsea and Manchester United, led by José Mourinho, in 2017, that prompted the “special one” to fight back in his post-match press conference.
Mourinho remains Chelsea’s most successful ever manager, but his relationship with the club has been pretty complicated in the aftermath of his third title triumph. A Blues crowd that, according to the man himself, were “pleased to have him back” in 2010, have since soured on the Portuguese due to his stints with Premier League rivals Man Utd and Tottenham Hotspur.
His last outstanding successes arrived in SW6, with Mourinho, over the past decade, evolving into a plucky cup manager with a persistently tumbling stock. He’s one of the all-time greats, but the magic that evoked from the handsome 41-year-old when he first rocked up at Chelsea has gradually dissipated.
And the Blues have enjoyed plenty of success against, perhaps, their greatest ever manager. Here’s an overview of Mourinho’s record against Chelsea.
José Mourinho vs. Chelsea: Three Classic Matches
1. Chelsea 0–1 Inter (March 16, 2010)
“And they [the Chelsea fans] know that, normally, Mourinho is lucky at Stamford Bridge.”
The Portuguese took his talents to Inter after his first Chelsea sacking, and was tasked with becoming the first manager to guide the Nerazzurri to European glory since Helenio Herrera in the mid-60s.
Mourinho’s Inter had scraped through the group stage as runners-up behind Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, while Chelsea, who they faced in the round of 16, ranked among the favourites to go all the way in the competition. Led by Carlo Ancelotti, the Blues would add their third Premier League title to their cabinet in 2009–10, but they’d come unstuck against Mourinho’s Inter in Europe.
This was the start of an unforgettable run, with Inter prevailing 2–1 in the first leg and pinching a second leg victory at Stamford Bridge via a Samuel Eto’o toe-poke.
Their outstanding defensive display would foreshadow what would later manifest against a generation-defining Barça outfit, with Mourinho eventually steering the Italian giants to a historic treble before departing for Real Madrid.
2. Chelsea 4–0 Manchester United (October 23, 2016)
Mourinho had returned to Chelsea and lifted his third Premier League title with the Blues in between Inter’s 1–0 win in 2010 and Manchester United’s 4–0 defeat in 2016.
The Portuguese’s second Blues tenure ended in disarray, but Mourinho was still regarded among the elite of the elite when United came calling less than a year on from his Chelsea sacking.
Many projected a title challenge from Mourinho’s Red Devils in preseason, but it was Antonio Conte’s side that’d emerge as the Premier League’s dominant force that season. Chelsea’s brilliance hadn’t yet been realised when United rocked up to the Bridge in October 2016 and succumbed to a humbling 4–0 defeat, but that victory was part of a 13-game winning run in the league that spearheaded their title success.
Conte‘s wild celebrations ironically irked Mourinho, who had a word with the Italian at the full-time whistle. It’s fair to say that the pair have struggled to see eye-to-eye since.
3. Chelsea 2–2 Manchester United (October 20, 2018)
Another Italian was in the home dugout at Stamford Bridge after Conte’s exit, with Maurizio Sarri, who‘d worked wonders at Napoli, succeeding his countryman.
Their first duel was an on-field corker, as Ross Barkley salvaged a point for the hosts at the last after Anthony Martial’s brace had handed United a 2–1 lead.
This time, it wasn’t the joy of his opposing number that rubbed Mourinho up the wrong way, but the overzealousness of one of Sarri’s assistants, who celebrated in front of the United bench. Mourinho’s reaction sparked a minor scuffle, and the United boss was once again keen to remind the Stamford Bridge faithful of how many titles he’d delivered in SW6 post-match.
José Mourinho vs. Chelsea: Complete Head-to-Head Record
- Games played: 14
- José Mourinho wins: 5
- Chelsea wins: 7
- Draws: 2
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jose Mourinho vs. Chelsea: Complete Head-to-Head Record.
