Progress in Europe is in our own hands- Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho, fresh from the final training session before our final group game in this season’s Champions League, emphasised the tight race for a place in the next stage of the competition and described work undertaken with his players to improve results.
Progress in Europe is in our own hands and our manager was speaking to the media at his conference to preview the visit of Porto to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
‘It is another Champions League game but one with the difference that I play against a team from my country, a team I worked with for a few years, and one with the difference that this is the group phase but because of the results so far, it is transformed to be a knockout phase,’ Mourinho said.
‘That is because normally Dynamo win their game [tomorrow against Maccabi Tel Aviv] so from Porto and Chelsea, one team will go to the Europa League.

‘I know at the moment it looks like winning the Europa League is an easier way to be in the Champions League next season than to finish in the top four [of the Premier League],’ he added, ‘but there is another possibility which is to win the Champions League. It is obviously harder than winning the Europa League but it is the competition where we are.
‘We want to play in the Champions League and play the best teams, and for that we need to win tomorrow.’
In order for the Portuguese side to be overcome, the Blues need to find the net and taking chances and half-chances has been a major area for improvement highlighted by Mourinho in recent weeks.
‘It is clear that we create so many chances but we don’t score goals,’ he said today.
‘We are having so many situations where we just need a tap-in, just need one touch in the face of the goal and we are not having that.
‘That is what I am trying [to improve] all the time, sometimes with a collective group, sometimes with an individual with players who should be in these positions, and that is the reason why I am always optimistic because the work is really good.
‘I feel sometimes a contradiction between the quality of the work and what happens on the pitch but I am always an optimist, especially because I feel that the players want to do it.
‘Statistics are statistics but if you analyse the numbers and read them well you can get some information. Match after match we beat Chelsea records for intensity of work. In the last three matches we beat the record three times, so we run and work more than ever. It is an intensity we never had before.
‘Our levels of ball possession are much higher too and our changes are higher than ever. Our number of goals are lower than ever. So intelligent people can read the numbers and get some conclusions.’
Mourinho gave an update on three players who were back working with the rest of the squad having missed games through injury.
‘Falcao just had a little period training with us. He is still a couple of weeks away from being in condition to play. John Terry and Ramires look fine.’
Jose Mourinho, fresh from the final training session before our final group game in this season’s Champions League, emphasised the tight race for a place in the next stage of the competition and described work undertaken with his players to improve results.
Progress in Europe is in our own hands and our manager was speaking to the media at his conference to preview the visit of Porto to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
‘It is another Champions League game but one with the difference that I play against a team from my country, a team I worked with for a few years, and one with the difference that this is the group phase but because of the results so far, it is transformed to be a knockout phase,’ Mourinho said.
‘That is because normally Dynamo win their game [tomorrow against Maccabi Tel Aviv] so from Porto and Chelsea, one team will go to the Europa League.
‘I know at the moment it looks like winning the Europa League is an easier way to be in the Champions League next season than to finish in the top four [of the Premier League],’ he added, ‘but there is another possibility which is to win the Champions League. It is obviously harder than winning the Europa League but it is the competition where we are.
‘We want to play in the Champions League and play the best teams, and for that we need to win tomorrow.’
In order for the Portuguese side to be overcome, the Blues need to find the net and taking chances and half-chances has been a major area for improvement highlighted by Mourinho in recent weeks.
‘It is clear that we create so many chances but we don’t score goals,’ he said today.
‘We are having so many situations where we just need a tap-in, just need one touch in the face of the goal and we are not having that.
‘That is what I am trying [to improve] all the time, sometimes with a collective group, sometimes with an individual with players who should be in these positions, and that is the reason why I am always optimistic because the work is really good.
‘I feel sometimes a contradiction between the quality of the work and what happens on the pitch but I am always an optimist, especially because I feel that the players want to do it.
‘Statistics are statistics but if you analyse the numbers and read them well you can get some information. Match after match we beat Chelsea records for intensity of work. In the last three matches we beat the record three times, so we run and work more than ever. It is an intensity we never had before.
‘Our levels of ball possession are much higher too and our changes are higher than ever. Our number of goals are lower than ever. So intelligent people can read the numbers and get some conclusions.’
Mourinho gave an update on three players who were back working with the rest of the squad having missed games through injury.
‘Falcao just had a little period training with us. He is still a couple of weeks away from being in condition to play. John Terry and Ramires look fine.’