Mourinho backs Chelsea quest

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By Elliot Ball   Last updated: 10th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Mourinho backs Chelsea quest

Mourinho: Old Trafford return

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Jose Mourinho believes his former club Chelsea are in prime position to claim domestic and European success this season.

The Inter Milan boss will take his place in the stands on Sunday to watch Chelsea for the first time since he left the club 16 months ago.

The 'Special One' is still held in high regard by many Blues fans, but Mourinho has backed the current boss at Stamford Bridge - Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Despite a lack of camaraderie with his Chelsea counterpart, the Portuguese coach maintains his old club are ideally placed to claim glory come May.

Ideally placed

"I still believe Chelsea are in a great position," Mourinho said in The Sun.

"They are in the last 16 of the Champions League so anyone can win from the last 16. They are second in the Premier League."

With the mouth-watering UEFA Champions League tie between United and Inter in February, the Nerazzurri boss is at Old Trafford to watch Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

Mourinho admitted he still has a soft spot for the London outfit where he captured back-to-back league titles, but the 45-year-old insists he is watching the match purely on business terms.

"I want them (Chelsea) to succeed but it is not my team anymore," he added.

"Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Anelka and Deco are not my players.

"My focus is on United and I will be at the game on Sunday to watch them. I'll do my preparations and after that I will have them watched by my scout."

Verdict

Mourinho, never shy to express his opinion, was glad to point out Liverpool's charge for the Premier League glory, while dismissing Arsenal's title credentials.

He said: "It is not a surprise to see Liverpool up there.

"It was a surprise when I was manager of Chelsea that they were 20 or 30 points behind us all the time and out of the title race by December. Finished.

"They (Arsenal) have some great moments but it looks like the same thing will happen to them again in the league that happened when I was at Chelsea.

"It will be a Liverpool, Chelsea or United in the title race."