Courtois signs off

Courtois ends his stint at the top table by speaking about Iker Casillas.

Casillas fell out with Mourinho during the Special One’s time at Real Madrid.

The Belgian was very respectful of his opposite number, who he has not faced since meeting him in the Champions League final while on loan at Atletico.

And with that, today’s marathon press conference is over.

We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s coverage. Keep your eyes glued to GetWestLondon for more Chelsea coverage!

Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea
Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea (Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
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Form is a mystery for Thibaut

What has changed then Thibaut? Why have Chelsea gone backwards.

The Belgian says he doesn’t know...

“We work in the same way.

“The results are not good and we need to improve as a team.

“All of the staff need to work hard.

“If we knew (what was wrong) we would’ve changed it before.

“Some games we were unlucky but tomorrow we need a good performance and a good result in front of our fans.

“That will give us confidence for our game against Leicester and get us going.”

Chelsea's Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois
(Image: GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
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Courtois shrugs of talk of Jose tension

Courtois on Mourinho: “We have a very good relationship.

“Last season it was a bit difficult with the other goalkeeper that was here.

“It has always been a professional relationship.”

He continues: “Last season we were on a higher level.

“If we get back to that level we will start winning again.

“Sometimes you have eight players on a top level and three who are down. I think maybe this season it is the other way round.

“We are still the same players.”

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in the dugout at St James' Park
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Hazard will come good

Courtois: “This season, a lot of the players who were top last season are struggling.

“Eden is important for us. He’s got good actions.

“I think it will come. If one goal comes, he will score a lot more.

“He has scored four goals for Belgium.”

Eden Hazard and Youssouf Mulumbu
(Image: Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
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We're in this together

Courtois: “I think results don’t say we are not committed to the manager.

“Sometimes we were better than other teams but we lost. We are still confident in the manager.

“We are one team and we are trying to get out of it with him.”

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Courtois speaks out

Courtois is in the chair now.

He starts by talking about his observations from the sidelines as he’s been injured.

He says: “It was a long injury.

“When you are on the side and injured it is not nice.

“I think when the results are not good, sometimes we were a bit unlucky. Sometimes a wrong decision.

“All of these things were not in our favour. We had a lot of chances.

“I think everybody has the confidence for tomorrow’s game and to be first in our group.

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Crunching the numbers

Mourinho: “I want to score goals and numbers are numbers.

“I think after the number of goals you score and concede. If you know how to read them, they mean something.

“It is everybody responsibility.”

And with that, Jose is off out the door. Thibaut Courtois is up next.

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New experience

For someone so used to winning, Mourinho admits Chelsea’s slump is something he hasn’t experienced before.

They say it builds character. At least Jose can take that from it.

I’m sure he’d rather be winning though!

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Not worried about Porto

The Chelsea boss is more worried about getting his own house in order than about Porto.

He says: “I’m not so concerned about Porto this time.

“I must focus 100 per cent on my squad.

“Under normal circumstances I’d be more worried.

“At the moment though I can only think about Chelsea.”

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Mourinho expects Roman to keep faith

Jose believes that Roman Abramovich’s faith remains.

He refuses to shoulder all of the blame for the poor results but doesn’t think his quality is in question.

“I think that I did lots of good things in this club for the owner to know the quality I have.

“If the owner show me that belief twice. One, when he brought me back to the club. Two, when he gave me a new contract.

“I don’t think the owner is one to change with the wind. I know the wind is really strong because the results in the Premier League are really bad.

“The owner knows who I am, what I give to the club, and the owner believes I am the best for the club.

“You can read these bad results and focus everything on the manager.

“You can look at the results and look to players with performances below acceptable.

“You can look to the unlucky decisions we’re having.

“You can look to every direction and decide that this is not just one man’s responsibility.”

Top dogs: Jose Mourinho and Roman Abramovich
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Jose out to avoid Europa League

Mourinho’s side could find themselves in the Europa League if they’re not careful.

Winning that would secure Champions League qualification for next season if they finish outside the top four.

However, the Special One is not interested in taking that route.

He said: “There is such a difference of levels between the competitions.

“It is not fair on the Europa League teams who make it through the group stage.

“If you get knocked out of the Champions League I think you should go home.

“It’s a good way for the teams who finish third to go into the Europa League and win that to get back into the Champions League.

“That’s not what we want. We want to play the best teams.”

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Goals, goals, goals

Chelsea have struggled to score goals this term and it is a problem the boss is all too aware of.

He has been working one-to-one with Diego Costa this week.

“We create so many chances but don’t score goals.

“We are having so many situations where it just needs a tap-in.

“We’re not having that. That’s for sure. I’m trying all the time.

“I’m trying all the time with the group and sometimes with individuals.

“I’m always an optimist because I feel that the players want to do it.”

Fiery characters: Diego Costa and Jose Mourinho
(Image: Getty Images)
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Just one more match

Mourinho: “This is one more match for me.

“There is one difference because it is a match against my old club.

“It’s a group stage match that the results transform into the knockout matches.

“There are no ifs. Win, lose or draw. No ifs.”

The Chelsea boss retains his belief that he will stay in charge even if he is beaten tomorrow.

Chelsea's manager Jose Mourinho gives a press conference
(Image: GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
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Injury news

Here’s some injury news from the Special One after we saw Ramires, JT and Falcao training earlier.

It’s not all as it seemed though.

“Falcao is not fit. He just had a little period with us.

“This was the first time he trained. He’s still a couple of weeks away.

“John and Ramires look fine.”

Radamel Falcao
(Image: Getty)
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Friends with Fergie

Mourinho starts by talking about Ferguson’s comments.

“This is the difference between friends and ‘fake’ friends,” he says.

“Sir Alex is my friend. During all his career he shows that he is honest in his analysis.

“I thank him.”

Ferguson is enjoying watching United
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Mourinho arrives

Jose Mourinho has arrived for today’s press conference.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest from the Special One ahead of the Champions League showdown with Porto.

It’s a game the Blues don’t need to win, but also one they cannot afford to lose.

A point will be enough but his old club are looking for a result too and might need a victory if other results go against them.

Here we go...

Jose Mourinho gives a press conference
(Image: GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
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Picture perfect

It’s just as well Jose’s not camera-shy!

The press room is filling up at Cobham as we await the arrival of the Special One.

There are a fair few Portuguese journalists in attendance too, keen to get a piece of their former hero.

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Support from Sir Alex

Sir Alex Ferguson thinks Roman Abramovich has learned from his trigger-happy days and will stick with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea.

The defending champions are just two points above the relegation zone after a shock defeat to Bournemouth made it eight league losses for the Blues already this season.

It is not the sort of form the usually ruthless Russian owner expects from his team and thespotlight has come back on Mourinho after the Cherries setback.

Abramovich took the unprecedented step of publicly backing the beleaguered boss in October but there has been no improvement in results since that show of faith.

Mourinho’s former club Porto could pile yet more pressure on the Chelsea manager by knocking the west Londoners out of the Champions League on Wednesday night.

However, former Manchester United manager Ferguson believes it would be a mistake for Abramovich to give the Special One the boot for a second time.

Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt conference in London, Ferguson said: “He (Abramovich) has sacked so many coaches in the last 10 years that I am sure he has learned by it. He has to trust and have confidence Jose can turn around.

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Pot luck for Blues

Chelsea will have an inspirational figure cheering them on from the stands against Porto and a shiny trinket as inspiration to progress.

Neil Robertson hopes he can inspire Chelsea on their big European night against Porto after Blues captain John Terry invited snooker’s UK champion to parade his trophy at Stamford Bridge.

The 33-year-old Australian clinched the Betway UK Championship title on Sunday night and revealed former England skipper Terry had sent him a mid-match text message, urging him to stay focused.

Chelsea fan Robertson is good friends with Terry, and promised to take up the summons to attend Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Jose Mourinho’s former club.

“JT texted me after I made the max and said, ‘Just keep concentrating and bring the trophy on Wednesday’.

“He’s maybe asked me to do that to motivate the boys, so I’ll definitely take the trophy to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, that’s the next thing I’m excited about.

“That’s not going too well at the moment and it’s been quite hard to concentrate on snooker.”

Neil Robertson was one of the strong contenders at the World Grand Prix but fell to a surprise Second Round defeat to Mark Davis.
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Trio train at Cobham

Chelsea have been training at Cobham this morning and there was good news for Blues fans in Surrey.

John Terry, Ramires and Radamel Falcao all took part in the session having missed Saturday’s defeat to Bournemouth.

Mourinho should give us an update on all three when questioned shortly.

Terry, in particular, is likely to be risked against the Portuguese. Falcao has been out of action for some time but could make the bench.

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Welcome folks

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to LIVE coverage of today’s Chelsea press conference.

Jose Mourinho and a Blues player are due to sit down with the media at 12noon this lunchtime ahead of the crunch Champions League showdown with Porto at Stamford Bridge.

It is a game the Premier League giants simply cannot afford to lose as qualification for the knockout stages hinges on avoiding defeat to Mourinho’s former side.

Chelsea need only a draw to book their place in the last 16 but will expect an onslaught from a Porto team who need to win or hope Dynamo Kiev do not beat Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Saturday’s shock defeat to Bournemouth cranked the pressure up on Mourinho’s position as manager again and he desperately needs a big performance in west London tomorrow evening.

Stay tuned to find out what the Blues chief has got to say ahead of his date with destiny.

Jose Mourinho looks on
(Image: Ian Walton/Getty Images)
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