Why Chelsea are made for Champions League football

Jose Mourinho may have just suffered one of the most remarkable defeats of the season, but you would not bet against him proving he is still the “Special One” by winning the Champions League.

Mourinho is never more dangerous than when he has had a major setback and he will be demanding a massive reaction from his players when they face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the semi-final tomorrow morning.

After losing that formidable record at Stamford Bridge to Sunderland, Chelsea must pick themselves up quickly and it does not get much bigger than a Champions League semi-final.

This competition is the one trophy to have eluded him at Chelsea and you cannot rule them out of winning it in Lisbon next month. He always seems to find a way of beating the better teams and it is in Europe that he has proved why he is one of the best managers in European football.

Roman Abramovich has always prioritised the Champions League and, although he already has one victory under Roberto Di Matteo, winning it again is probably one of the main reasons he decided to have Mourinho back for a second spell.

Since he returned in the summer, expectations have been high because he is such an iconic figure at the club, but they are not the team they were and have been playing without a quality centre-forward.

As they defend so deep and have so many players that can get box to box, Chelsea have been perfect for the Champions League. They have this structure and way of playing that is ideal and they are now a very counter-attacking side.

If you look at the games against Crystal Palace and Sunderland, when the two teams were playing with a blanket defence and put everyone behind the ball, Chelsea struggled to break them down.

But, at Manchester City, when the onus was on their opponents to come at them, Chelsea beat City and could have even scored four goals.

I expect it to be a similar game against Atletico, when Chelsea will soak up pressure, then hit them on the break and it is when the pressure is on that Mourinho springs to life.

When you have had such a disappointing result such as Saturday evening’s, you want the next game to come around as soon as possible to get it out of your system. Who could have predicted that Sunderland would go to the Etihad and Stamford Bridge — two of the most formidable places to play in the Premier League — and pick up four points from six?

Chelsea’s record had to go sooner or later, but the timing of the defeat is hard to take because it leaves them having to rely on others, especially after Liverpool’s win at Norwich.

Now, the game at Anfield on Sunday will all be about Liverpool. If they win, Steven Gerrard will almost smell the Premier League title but, if Chelsea win, it will mean three teams, including City, are back in the race.

Nothing is won until you have got the medal in your hands, as we found out in 1989 when Liverpool lost to Arsenal at home. There will be plenty more twists and turns in the final weeks and you would have to think Chelsea’s best chance of success is in the Champions League.

Some people have suggested that Chelsea were on the verge of a meltdown after the Sunderland defeat, but they are a big team with big players and a big manager. When you have got a team like that, you can thrive on adversity.

Mourinho’s comments after the game were clearly designed to put pressure on the referee at Anfield and are from the same school of mind games that Sir Alex Ferguson used to excel at. Everything Mourinho says is for a reason, whether it is to influence an individual or get a collective reaction from his players.

Whoever referees the game next weekend will have it at the back of his mind that Chelsea have been feeling aggrieved at decisions from officials. That is what mind games are all about and it ensures all eyes will be on the referee.

If Mourinho finishes the season with nothing, it will be seen as a colossal disappointment, but I can certainly see him facing Real Madrid, one of his former clubs, in the final — and winning it. Then, there would be no disputing that he really is the “Special One”. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

TV Times:

Atletico Madrid v Chelsea — SingTel mio TV Ch111, 2.40am*

*Wednesday morning