Jose Mourinho isn’t used to going without silverware but has warned Chelsea fans it could happen this season.
The Special One has collected trophies during his time at the likes of Porto, Inter, Real Madrid and his beloved Blues.
He delivered Chelsea’s first title in 50 years in his first season as manager to quickly endear himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful.
Having returned to the club this summer, Mourinho has found himself walking into a more unpredictable Premier League.
The Blues lie in third place, five points behind leaders Arsenal, ahead of this weekend’s visit of Crystal Palace.
Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich though is not one to listen to excuses and has dismissed previous managers for failure to deliver silverware.
Mourinho says winning trophies has become part of the club’s DNA, however he is under no illusions as to the task he faces in his second stint as boss.
“I think it’s possible [we may not win a trophy] because we are competing against very important teams. We go to the Champions League and see what is there. In the domestic cups we all know that the contenders mean nothing because of the culture of the English game.
“I always say that the second season is always the best. The period after the first season is important because we can analyse not after two or three months but are 12 months and 50 to 60 matches.
“Normally, teams in the second season have to be better than the first. We are in a transitional period. The nature of the club, the nature we want everybody here to have, it’s not acceptable [to not win a trophy this season]. We want to think it’s not acceptable.”
Mourinho described last season, his final campaign with Real Madrid, as the worst of his career.
But even then he still delivered the Super Cup, suggesting a trophyless year with Chelsea would be a new personal low for the Portuguese.
“The last season [with Real Madrid] was the worst,” he added. “We just won the Spanish Super Cup. We finish second, lost the cup final and lost the Champions League semi-final. So we just won the Super Cup. Little, but something.
“We understand the picture [at Chelsea]. We made decisions relating to this picture. We have a profile. We are natural winners and that’s the culture we want this club to have and our players to understand. We will work to do the best we can.
With Crystal Palace in town on Saturday, Chelsea are undefeated in their last seven Premier League London derbies, which have yielded five wins and two draws for the Blues.
Saturday’s game is Palace's first trip to Stamford Bridge for nearly nine years. When the two sides last met in SW6, Chelsea were heading towards their first Premier League title.
