Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has stepped up his mind games ahead of his side’s trip to Manchester City tomorrow, telling Sky Sports that City are underachieving.
City’s win over Tottenham during the week saw Manuel Pellegrini’s side top the Premier League heading into the weekend, but Mourinho believes that they are not living up to the level of investment that the side has received.
“They won one title, won a couple of cups,” he opened.
“Only in Europe they didn’t do well, or close to doing well.
“Speaking objectively, they did very bad in the Champions League in previous seasons, also in the Europa League.
“But the team is fantastic, the squad is fantastic and normally they [should] win more titles.”
The Chelsea boss continued poking fun at his opposing number with a jibe over his knowledge of the Champions League rules. City were one goal away from topping their Champions League group during their last European game; a fact that was lost on Pellegrini who didn’t realise the next goal’s significance.
“The first thing to be successful in Europe is to know the rules of the competition. That’s the first thing,” said the Portuguese manager.
Mourinho has consistently insisted that his squad are the underdog in this season’s Premier League title race, but believes that next season his squad will be among the leading contenders.
“I enjoy building a team. I enjoy building the future. I enjoy not working just for today, and next season to start again with another team, spending a lot of money again, selling a lot of players, bringing in a lot of players,” he continued.
“I’m enjoying this very, very much. To be the underdog I don’t enjoy.
“[But] I think I’m going to enjoy next season. It is more me – and I think it’s more Chelsea too – to start next season and say immediately we are candidates, the same way the others are candidates.”
“We think that we are not very far from having a squad that allows us to compete face to face with every club, doesn’t matter how much the investment is, doesn’t matter how much the financial play is ‘fair’ or ‘dodgy’.”
During his three season opening spell at Chelsea, Mourinho won two titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups, one Community Shield and the European Super Cup. In the past three seasons, City have won one title, one FA Cup and the Community Shield.
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