Jose Mourinho questions critics of “parking
the bus” style
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has
criticised "philosophers" who question his side's tactics.
The club's defensive approach
has been criticised following a 0-0 draw with Champions League opponents
Atletico Madrid and a 2-0 win at Liverpool.
Mourinho said: "Football
is full of philosophers, people who understand much more than me. Amazing. "But
the reality is the reality. A team that doesn't defend well doesn't have many
chances to win."
Mourinho,
51, could seal a third Champions League title with as many clubs if Chelsea can
overcome Atletico in the second leg of their semi-final at Stamford Bridge on
Wednesday.
His
side had only 31% of possession at Atletico's Vicente Calderon stadium in last
week's first leg and 27% of possession in the win against Liverpool on Sunday
to keep alive their Premier League title hopes.
The tactics led Liverpool boss
Brendan Rodgers to claim Chelsea had parked
two buses in an attempt to keep his side from scoring.
"If
the opponent is very fast and needs space behind your defence and you give them
that space, you are stupid," added Mourinho, who said Rodgers
congratulated him for the win on Tuesday.
Should
Chelsea reach the Champions League final in Lisbon on 24 May, Mourinho, who
managed Porto and Inter Milan to success in the tournament in 2004 and 2010
respectively, will face former club Real Madrid, who thrashed holders Bayern
Munich 4-0 in Germany to win 5-0
on aggregate.
Mourinho
guided Los Blancos to the Spanish league title in 2012, but Ramon Calderon, the
club's president between 2006 and 2009, says the Portuguese was "not the
right man" for the club.
"At
Real, we have some codes of behaviour," Calderon told BBC Radio 5 live.
"A lot of people didn't like the way he behaved. Carlo Ancelotti brought
something different and that is perfect."
Mourinho has been boosted for
the second leg with Atletico on Wednesday by the return of captain John Terry
following an ankle injury.
He had
previously claimed Terry would not play again unless the blues reached the
final and says he thinks the
Champions League "owes" the defender something.
Terry,
33, was suspended when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich to lift the trophy in 2012
and missed a crucial penalty in the final defeat by Manchester United in 2008.
"My
captain is playing at the same level as when I left Chelsea in 2007-08,"
said Mourinho. "I think he deserves more than the Champions League gives
to him until now."
Terry,
whose current contract expires in the summer, told a news conference ahead of
the game at Stamford Bridge that he was hopeful "ongoing" talks would
lead to a new deal with the club.