It’s the Mourinho who spent an age speaking to a different long-term Chelsea worker Thresa Conneely on Monday, the one who chatted to his former participant Joe Cole after arriving 90 minutes earlier than kick-off, relaxed together with his arm draped on the one-time England star’s shoulder as he engaged in straightforward dialog. The one who stopped and signed a younger Chelsea fan’s shirt earlier than he headed to the dressing room for his pre-match staff speak.
“In fact I thank them,” stated Mourinho, when requested of the supporter response.
“I did it on the pitch. I stay round right here. I speak with them on daily basis on the road.
“I hope to come back again right here [Stamford Bridge] in 20 years with my grandkids.
“They [Chelsea] belong to my historical past and I belong to theirs.”
But Mourinho needs to win. You might inform that as he challenged selections and demanded extra from his gamers, patrolling the touchline as he has all the time achieved.
It appeared odd to listen to him discuss how nicely his staff had performed in defeat, even when the percentages have been stacked towards them by the massive hole in revenue between England’s Champions League contenders and people from Portugal.
He sat in the identical dugout as when he was supervisor, although it does make you marvel why the membership waited for Mauricio Pochettino to vary them given what’s now the house dugout straddles the midway line.
It did imply he was nearer the Benfica followers although, as he produced one other basic Mourinho second within the second half.
Chelsea might need paid the Lisbon membership a British document £107m to signal Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez two years in the past, however the cash clearly has no bearing on how his previous membership’s supporters take into consideration him.
As he went to take a nook, Fernandez was bombarded by missiles from the higher and decrease sections of the stands round him.
Mourinho noticed what was taking place, bounced out of his seat and took off down the touchline – a reminder of when he was Porto supervisor at Previous Trafford and celebrated knocking Manchester United out of the Champions League in 2004.
The knee slide is past him now. As an alternative, he stored himself to indignant waves, telling these supporters to cease.
They won’t all have acted as he wished however the bombardment no less than lowered lengthy sufficient for Fernandez to take the nook.
Jose the peacemaker. Jose the buddy.
Benfica did not win – and Chelsea weren’t that good – however Mourinho’s return was memorable all the identical.
There’ll all the time be mutual respect round right here.
