Carlo calm over Jose return

Blues boss not getting excited by Mourinho reunion

Last updated: 15th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Carlo calm over Jose return

Ancelotti ready for Mourinho return

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Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti insists his players are unfazed by Jose Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge this week.

Mourinho returns to Chelsea for the first time since his shock departure in September 2007 when he brings his Inter Milan side to West London for the second leg of their last 16 UEFA Champions League encounter.

Portuguese tactician Mourinho was a big favourite with Chelsea fans during his time at the club, helping deliver two Premier League titles and Ancelotti expects his opposite number to receive a tremendous reception upon his return to Stamford Bridge.

However, Ancelotti is confident Mourinho's return will not distract his side from the task of overturning the 2-1 deficit from the first game in Milan.

"The players are not distracted by all this," said Ancelotti.

"Mourinho will come back. For him it will be a special evening.

Reception

"I think the fans will give him a very good reception. He deserves this but the match will be a different thing.

"All Chelsea players and Inter players are focused on the game. They are not interested in other things," added Ancelotti.

"The difference will be made by the different players, the different confidence or courage the players put on the pitch."

Ancelotti also moved to play down his uneasy relationship with Mourinho revealing he will share of bottle of wine with the Inter chief, whatever the result on Tuesday night.

"For sure we will have a glass of wine," added Ancelotti.

"If he wins, after the game we can have a good conversation. This happens regardless of the result but I haven't thought about what bottle to bring yet."

Form
Ancelotti is also not reading too much into Inter's poor run of form in Serie A after they slumped to a 3-1 defeat to Catania last Friday.

"I'm not considering an Inter who have dropped in form, I'm thinking about an Inter who have played so well over the season," noted Ancelotti.

"We have to be prepared for a team that is playing at its best."

Ancelotti has called on his side to show patience as they look to overturn the 2-1 deficit, feeling it is not vital that they score an early goal on Tuesday.

"We do not have an obsession with scoring early," noted Ancelotti. "We know we have to score but we have the whole game to do so."