Benfica manager Jose Mourinho believes Chelsea have the quality to challenge for this season’s UEFA Champions League, but has warned that Europe’s top prize is far more difficult to win than the FIFA Club World Cup.
The 62-year-old Portuguese coach, who returns to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night to face his former club, praised the Blues’ squad strength and insisted they remain genuine contenders despite a shaky opening to the league phase.
“The Champions League is much harder to win than the Club World Cup.
“But Chelsea have the potential to do it. I don’t see any reason to say they have no chance,” Mourinho said in his pre-match press conference.
Chelsea head into the clash still searching for their first points of the campaign after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in their opening fixture. Benfica, managed by Mourinho since the summer, will look to build on their own positive start as both sides aim to gain early momentum in the group stage.
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