Maribor v Chelsea, Stadion Ljudski, 7.45pm, Setanta and Sky Sports 1
José Mourinho has offered a thinly veiled criticism of Liverpool’s team selection for their game at Real Madrid on Tuesday night by suggesting that, in contrast, he would always select his strongest lineup when confronting “the most difficult opponents”.
Chelsea visit Anfield on Saturday lunchtime with Liverpool, their Champions League progress far from dependent upon winning in the Bernabeu, having rested a quintet of key players in Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, Mario Balotelli, the captain Steven Gerrard and Coutinho for their group game against the reigning European champions. Brendan Rodgers has always made clear the Premier League, and finishing in the top four, is his priority.
Mourinho offered the caveat he was not speaking specifically “about Liverpool” but, as he prepares to send out a strong side against Maribor on Wednesday, he made clear he would not have adopted such a selection policy. “I don’t speak about Liverpool, I speak about myself,” he said. “If one day I go to a game and I don’t feel I can win, maybe I don’t go. So, normally, against the most difficult opponents, I will try to go with my best team.
Genius decision
“But who knows? Liverpool might play a fantastic match and win and rest players and the players are in great condition to play against Chelsea. In this case it might be a genius decision. In football it is difficult to comment.”
The Chelsea manager admitted he had gone "a bit too far" in his criticism of his own club's supporters for what he had perceived to be a downbeat atmosphere at Stamford Bridge for Saturday's west London derby against Queens Park Rangers. The Portuguese, whose side can potentially secure their passage into the knockout phase of the Champions League by winning in Slovenia, had likened that game to playing "in an empty stadium" and claimed the atmosphere had worsened since his previous spell at the club.
That provoked a furious reaction among some sections of the club’s support. “Everybody at Chelsea knows how much I love the club,” said Mourinho, who did admit regret to be missing his daughter’s 18th birthday to be in Maribor on Tuesday.
“How much I want it to improve and how much I want to be part of the club in the future. Everybody knows (this). Even a moment of criticism has to be analysed with the eyes of somebody who knows why I came back to Chelsea and why I’m here with my heart, and why I want to stay for a long time.
Loves football
“I am just somebody who loves football a lot. I love my job. I am lucky to do my job in the club I like so much and feel such a connection and maybe that makes me lead the club with a different emotion. If I do it in a professional way and concentrate only on training and selection, it is because this is not, for me, just a job. It is more than that, because it’s Chelsea.
“Maybe I go a little bit too far. But I see myself in the stands, watching Chelsea and I want to play, I want to help. If I’m not a player I cannot play, if I’m not a coach I cannot make decisions. If I’m just a fan what can I do to help? That’s just my view.”
If Chelsea win tonight and Sporting Lisbon do not beat Schalke, Mourinho’s men advance and will be in pole position to finish top of the standings and claim a favourable draw in the last 16.
Mourinho, who is without striker Loic Remy (groin) and midfielder John Obi Mikel (knee), is taking nothing for granted and described the Stamford Bridge result as “fake”.
He added: “Against Maribor everything went in our direction.” Guardian Service
