Jose Mourinho has revealed his true feelings about Chelsea as rumours intensify over the Blues board potentially deciding to part company with current manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Chelsea lost 5-0 at Arsenal on Tuesday evening, with four goals being scored in the second half.
The result piles more pressure on Pochettino, who blasted his players after the match had concluded.
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He told reporters: "We conceded two goals and, in this moment, the team gave up. We were not in the game.
"Today, you can use any words to describe our performance. Our standards are not sustained for the bad days."
Mourinho is now one of the leading contenders to take the role if Pochettino gets sacked, in what would be his third spell at the club.
The 61-year-old managed the Blues between 2004 and 2007, winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup, while establishing Chelsea as a major force in English football under the stewardship of Roman Abramovich.
Mourinho was brought back to Stamford Bridge in 2013, and lifted a third Premier League title in 2015, as well as another League Cup.
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Since then, the Portuguese has managed two other Premier League clubs, having taken charge of Manchester United and Tottenham.
Mourinho was asked about another return to Stamford Bridge last year, following the sacking of Graham Potter.
Mourinho, who was then in charge of Serie A side Roma, replied: "If you ask me, do I have somebody that I would love to take over from 'my Chelsea', let's say that, yes I have. But I close my mouth.
In a separate interview 12 months earlier, he said: "Of course, my English connection is Chelsea, that's the way I see things, as a Chelsea man after two periods of Chelsea and six years.
"I've been at big, big clubs with very good conditions. Chelsea, very good conditions. United, the same. Madrid, the same. Inter, the same."
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And after the Blues won the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel in 2021, he joked: "I don't think it's very difficult to coach at Chelsea because I was champion three times, Carlo Ancelotti was champion, Antonio Conte was champion.
"It cannot be very, very difficult because we won titles there. Chelsea always have great players and great squads and good coaches are happy to work with these clubs and with players who give you a very good opportunity to be successful and win titles."
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Chelsea, Jose Mourinho, Mauricio Pochettino, Premier League, Football