José Mourinho insisted he is driven by victories rather than nostalgia after his Benfica side lost 1-0 at Chelsea in the Champions League. The Portuguese manager, who enjoyed two successful spells at Stamford Bridge, received a warm reception from the home fans but saw his team undone by a Richard Ríos own goal.
Mourinho, now 62, has now gone seven visits to Chelsea without a win. He acknowledged the reception but made clear his focus remains on results. 'I don't feed myself with these memories, I feed myself with results,' he said. 'My career took me to a position where everybody thinks I have magic to make things happen.'
The former Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma boss reflected on his career, noting that he has often been judged harshly despite successes. 'I left Man United after winning things, I left Tottenham after taking them to a final, Roma after two European finals. With me it is never enough,' he said.
Mourinho felt Benfica deserved at least a point from the match. 'We started well, we controlled and had chances for sure. The goal is the only mistake we made defensively,' he said. The defeat leaves Benfica facing a battle to reach the knockout stages.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was pleased to secure the win after a poor run but frustrated by a third red card in as many games, with João Pedro sent off in added time. 'Another red card that we need to avoid,' Maresca said. 'We needed the win. Second half we dropped. Sometimes you need to learn to win in an ugly way.'
