Jose in control of emotions

Inter manager staying calm ahead of Stamford Bridge return

Last updated: 16th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Jose in control of emotions

Mourinho: Staying calm

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Jose Mourinho is determined to advance to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and will not allow sentiment to get in the way.

Mourinho will return to Stamford Bridge to face former club Chelsea on Tuesday as Inter Milan look to protect a slender 2-1 advantage from the first leg.

The Portuguese tactician maintains that it would not be especially satisfying for him to knock out the Blues and he is just focusing on making it through to the next round.

"Special for me would be to take Inter over the barrier and into the quarter-finals," he said at his pre-match news conference.

"Inter lost, if I remember right, in the last years to Villarreal, Valencia, Liverpool, Manchester United last season.

"So it would be special for me to take my team into the next stage. But special to beat Chelsea? No, it would not be special.

"It means I will go to the quarter-finals. That is all. I have nothing to prove to Chelsea, to Chelsea's players, to Chelsea's fans, to Chelsea's board.

"The relations are great."

Mourinho has stayed respectful in the build-up to the midweek clash, avoiding the mind games that he has become known for.

Respect

He explained: "I can't do this in Chelsea. I can't do this. My celebrations will be restrained if we win out of respect.

"Because it's Chelsea. Because it's the team where I worked for three and a half years, the same people, the same players, the same supporters who made me feel incredible every time we played in this stadium.

"But don't confuse this emotional control with professionalism. Don't confuse this emotional control with a desire to win.

"Tomorrow, during the 90 minutes, I will give everything to try and help my team win. Players win matches on the pitch. Coaches just try and give a bit of help.

"I'll try and do that. But don't confuse my feelings for my ex-players and my ex-club with my desire and motivation to win this game.

"I feel at home here. I opened the door and walked through the door; I went to the second floor where there are people I know; to the third floor where there are people I know.

"But for 90 minutes I will know nobody. Before the game I know everybody and I love them, and after the game I know everybody and I love them. But for 90 minutes I know nobody.

"The only thing I can do is prepare for the game with all my qualities, with all my motivation, and play the game tomorrow with everything I have to try and go to the quarter-finals."

Turnbull

The Blues will face Inter with third-choice Ross Turnbull between the posts - a player with just one Champions League game under his belt.

But Mourinho does not consider this to be a goalkeeping crisis and is adamant that Turnbull's presence will make no significant difference..

"When I was Chelsea's manager, we played in the Champions League against

Barcelona with our third-choice in goal," he recalled.

"Cech and Carlo Cudicini were injured, and Hilario made his debut against

Barcelona. We beat them at Stamford Bridge and drew in Camp Nou.

"So I don't think it's a big problem, especially if we don't have a shot. It'll be no problem for sure, then.

"It's not the first time a team plays with the third goalkeeper. To be fair, I don't know the goalkeeper very, very well but, to be in Chelsea, he will play with quality."