As he heads into potentially decisive clash against former team, we look at the reasons Chelsea’s manager should be fearful.
If Dynamo Kiev beat Maccabi Tel Aviv then Chelsea would exit the Champions League with a home defeat against Porto.
Here’s why Jose Mourinho will be fearing the worst…
Recent form
Chelsea are in what is now referred to as a ‘bad moment’; Porto by contrast are in a ‘good moment’.
Jose Mourinho’s team have lost four of their last nine games, compared with their opponent’s recent record of nine wins and a draw from their last 11.
Chelsea lost at home to Bournemouth on Saturday
At Stamford Bridge, once such a fortress, Chelsea have already lost four matches this season, with Crystal Palace, Southampton, Liverpool and Bournemouth all claiming wins.
Consequently Porto travel to west London with no fear factor about taking on the English champions.
Porto have tripped Mourinho up before
Surprisingly, Mourinho has a losing record against Porto since leaving the club in 2004.
Admittedly, he has only faced them three times, but he has lost twice, including earlier this season when Porto won 2-1.
That win in September will fuel the Portuguese side’s belief that the three points are there for the taking again tonight.
Iker Casillas has a point to prove
Mourinho and Casillas fell out spectatcularly during the manager’s spell at Real Madrid.
The Spanish keeper was dropped from the side and, despite claims from both sides that the feud is in the past, he would love to get one over on his old coach tonight.
Iker Casillas could come back to haunt Jose Mourinho
Casillas warned on Sunday that he and his team-mates are “obsessed” with getting through to the Champions League last 16 and added: “Mourinho is a coach who will always want a victory and now against his old club. But we have the mentality that we can make them suffer at Stamford Bridge and get through the group phase.”
Costa and Hazard struggle in Europe
Diego Costa and Eden Hazard should in theory be two match-winners for Mourinho tonight.
Over the last two seasons though, the pair have struggled for goals in Europe. Costa’s return in the Champions League has been woeful – just one goal in 12 matches – while Hazard has three goals from 12 matches.
Eden Hazard and Diego Costa need to step up against Porto
If the pair continue that sort of form, Chelsea could find themselves facing a damaging defeat.
Champions League defeats did for AVB and RDM
If Chelsea do exit the Champions League tonight, recent precedents suggests even Mourinho should fear the worst for his future.
Although he lasted two more matches, it was the 4-1 defeat to Napoli in the first leg of a last-16 tie that convinced Roman Abramovich to sack Andre Villas-Boas. Roberto Di Matteo meanwhile was given the boot a day after a Champions League defeat to Juventus left Chelsea on the brink of group-stage elimination.
Andre Villas-Boas paid for Europan failure at Chelsea
Mourinho could well follow suit if his side are demoted to the Europa League.
