Great to see Jose back at The Bridge. Will always be up there in terms of what he achieved and how he turned us into winners.

Unfortunately the game has moved on. He has clearly mellowed a bit and he now comes across a bit like your old uncle!

Let's not forget Benfica gave up a 2-0 lead against Qarabag to lose 2-3 at home on match day one.

This is not a formidable opponent.

I don't know know about must win / mustn't lose type comments, but suggest this is a should win anything less raises more questions about the manager and what he's getting out of this squad.

I would expect Mourinho to target Cucu coming forward though of course he might worry about some of our players assuming they raise thier game as they sometimes can.

Mourinho will also try and target the space between our CBs and Sanchez with fast runners.

An interesting night ahead and let's hope for no more injures.

Just watched both news conferences. How have we fallen this far as a club from the absolute aura farmer that is Jose to the wet lettuce of Maresca?! It’s night and day and clearly shows in the players enthusiasm on match days.

Caicedo, Santos and Pedro all doubtful

I can see some potential issues with this game. I was out fishing all day yesterday and the missus won't be best pleased that there is football tonight. Oh, plus the fact that we're rubbish and all our good players are injured.

It's time like these where I wish I wasn't as interested in football. It's hard to see any game where I feel like we will win or even play any football I will enjoy, even against Benfica. They will be desperate for a win against us after all of the pain we have caused them, and will be extra motivated with Mourinho as their manager.

Jose to play a low block knowing we can’t break down any team that puts more than 5 men behind the ball…a frustrating 0-0 night ahead…..and hopefully Maresca out the door by the end of the year.

Lose tonight and lose to Liverpool and he could be gone , dont take no notice of that rubbish the owners have every confidence in him

3 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

It's time like these where I wish I wasn't as interested in football. It's hard to see any game where I feel like we will win or even play any football I will enjoy, even against Benfica. They will be desperate for a win against us after all of the pain we have caused them, and will be extra motivated with Mourinho as their manager.

Agree with this, im so desperate i would settle for a win tonight, any win, lucky, controversial, scuffed or dirty. Tomorrow we can look at attractive football etc.

If we can finish the game with 11 players that would be a step forward. It shouldnt be beyond us to win with all the injuries etc .our second 11 if organised should be able to get a result here.

13 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

It's time like these where I wish I wasn't as interested in football. It's hard to see any game where I feel like we will win or even play any football I will enjoy, even against Benfica. They will be desperate for a win against us after all of the pain we have caused them, and will be extra motivated with Mourinho as their manager.

Seeing a lot of Chelsea fans on the YouTube space brush off the Champions League group stage as if we'll certainly qualify.

I'm genuinely worried we won't win a game with Palmer out.

10 hours ago, Jezz said:

Welcome back Jose! Forever my favourite manager.

"I will always be a Blue. I am part of their history. They are part of my history. I helped them to become a bigger Chelsea. And they helped me to become a bigger Jose. When I say I am not a Blue, I am only speaking about the job I have to do tomorrow."

BBC Sport

'Always a Blue' - Jose Mourinho's affection for Chelsea

Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he "will always be a Blue" - but still hopes to beat them when his Benfica side play at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League on Tuesday.

I'm not particularly sorry I can't watch the match tonight, but I am sorry i don't get to see the warm reception Mourinho will hopefully get. He has his flaws, but man, did he guide us to some good times!

5 wins ish gets top 8

3 wins ish gets next 16 playoffs

Im not confident of 5 wins especially if we fail tonight.

if we dont get 3 wins ( Qarabag & Pafos included ) then we are really in trouble.

Just now, OTL said:

5 wins ish gets top 8

3 wins ish gets next 16 playoffs

Im not confident of 5 wins especially if we fail tonight.

if we dont get 3 wins ( Qarabag & Pafos included ) then we are really in trouble.

Especially after the media have already set out their "dare you to face plant" strategy by stating through various outlets that is virtually impossible for English clubs to not qualify from the league phase in the current format. He loves a challenge, our bloke!

15 minutes ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

Lose tonight and lose to Liverpool and he could be gone , dont take no notice of that rubbish the owners have every confidence in him

Please stop typing this stuff. Its the hope that kills us!!

29 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

I can see some potential issues with this game. I was out fishing all day yesterday and the missus won't be best pleased that there is football tonight. Oh, plus the fact that we're rubbish and all our good players are injured.

I'm a bit puzzled. Your missus didn't go fishing with you and now is upset she won't get a sensible word out of you tonight? Yelling at the telly and telling the bald fraud where to put his tactics seems very sensible to me by the way.

Please elaborate if I got the home dynamics wrong, or I'll be thinking up different scenarios all day. Take note, poundland-Pep, about this whole different scenario thing...

Edited September 30, 2025Sep 30 by Valerie

Welcome back Jose. Tonight should be "Special".

24 minutes ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

Lose tonight and lose to Liverpool and he could be gone , dont take no notice of that rubbish the owners have every confidence in him

Just can't see it. He is the perfect Yes-Man and they won't want to pay out a whole load in compensation. We could lose every game up to Christmas and I fear we'll still be stuck with him.

28 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Seeing a lot of Chelsea fans on the YouTube space brush off the Champions League group stage as if we'll certainly qualify.

I'm genuinely worried we won't win a game with Palmer out.

Same. The CWC win is clouding things with them because it wasn't so long ago that they were talking about protests.

34 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Especially after the media have already set out their "dare you to face plant" strategy by stating through various outlets that is virtually impossible for English clubs to not qualify from the league phase in the current format. He loves a challenge, our bloke!

Even Uefa are jumping on the "go on and fck this up and be the laughing stock" bandwagon

2 hours ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

Lose tonight and lose to Liverpool and he could be gone , dont take no notice of that rubbish the owners have every confidence in him

He could be. Equally we might win a couple of games and still find he is gone, or they may stick with him the whole season even in if we are midtable. Nobody knows what the owners are thinking. I am hoping we turn things around as I would prefer to see us successful.

I suspect if he is going it will be at the end of the season, when they do their review,. Failing to reach agreed targets

will no doubt have a finanacial consequence for Maresca, thereby meaning it's cheaper to sack him then.

Maresca hopes the fans one day will sing his name. I don’t think it will be tonight!

Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo (c); Neto, Buonanotte, Garnacho; George

Substitutes: Jorgensen, Merrick, James, Acheampong, Hato, Lavia, Walsh, Estevao, Gittens, Joao Pedro, Guiu

Edited September 30, 2025Sep 30 by OTL

I called the Brighton result correctly and I can see a 0-1 or 0-2 all over this from Jose.