Thursday 10 December 2015 10:21, UK
Jose Mourinho believes Chelsea can overcome their underdog status to win the Champions League after a 2-0 win over his former club Porto sealed top spot in Group G.
Chelsea are toiling domestically but responded to an eighth Premier League defeat of the season against Bournemouth with a victory which sealed their place in the last 16.
"A team struggling so much like we are is not obviously a candidate to win the Champions League," said Mourinho, twice a winner of the competition as a manager.
"But when we won at Porto in 2004, we were not candidates. When we won at Inter (Milan) in 2010, we were not candidates.
"When we were candidates, we lost two semi-finals with Real Madrid, we lost two semi-finals with Chelsea, so let's see. You never know."
Chelsea can play Paris Saint-Germain - for a third straight season - PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Juventus, Roma or Gent in the next round.
"I think everybody wants to play us," Mourinho added. "They don't want to play Barcelona, they don't want to play Real Madrid, they don't want to play Atletico, they don't want to play Bayern.
"Every team finishing second want to get us, they want to get Zenit."
Mourinho must overturn Chelsea's Premier League troubles to ensure he is still in charge when the competition resumes in February, and is adamant they can still reach the top four, despite being 14 points adrift after 15 games.
When we were candidates, we lost two semi-finals with Real Madrid, we lost two semi-finals with Chelsea, so let's see. You never know.
"While mathematically it's still possible, let's fight every game for every point and see if it's possible to finish fourth," Mourinho said.
Chelsea had some good fortune when Iker Casillas saved Diego Costa's shot and the ball ricocheted into the net off Ivan Marcano, and Mourinho believes Costa should have found the net against the Portuguese champions.
"He could have scored two or three goals today," Mourinho said. "His lack of confidence? Yes, clearly. But his attitude was very good and his movement was much better.
"The first goal was an own goal but his movement is great, the pass arrives. Last season, he would score immediately. This season, he couldn't.
"In the second half, he faced the goalkeeper on his own. You could immediately feel the lack of confidence because the first thing he does is not to look at the goal.
"The first thing he does is to look to the linesman. And when he looks to the linesman, he loses one important second or fraction and then his last touch on the ball is not the best touch. Goals are coming."
