Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed that he has forgotten about the Champions League exit in mid-week and is now focussed on winning the Premier League.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of his side’s clash against Southampton on Sunday, Mourinho said that the Champions League is such a competition where you can be knocked out despite not losing against your opponents like Chelsea did, “We closed the chapter on the Champions League.
“If you want to speak about the Champions League then you need to go to Wenger or Pellegrini because they are still in the Champions League.
“We are not in the Champions League. We played eight matches, we lost zero, we couldn’t win through to the quarter-finals so we are out of the Champions League.
“We failed in a knockout game.
“I shook hands with every PSG player, I congratulated them. That’s the example I set the players,” Mourinho added.
Mourinho insisted that despite being knocked out of the Champions League, he is positive and said that winning the Premier League will make it a good season for the blues who haven’t lifted the trophy since 2010, “I’m very optimistic. I try to win the Premier League and if we win the Premier League then a season with the Premier League and Capital One Cup is a good season.”
The Portuguese then shifted his focus to Southampton with whom the blues play on Sunday. The Saints managed to muster a draw against Chelsea last time the two sides faced each other and have no choice but to attack Mourinho’s men as they are chasing a Champions League spot.
Mourinho said, “I want to concentrate on Southampton.
“We want to win against Southampton, we have an advantage of five points and we have a game in hand.
“We’ve conceded the last three goals from headers – one vs Burnley, two vs PSG – but obviously we are working on that.
“We have had key games since the start of the season. It’s more difficult to start the season with the same points as everybody than to have an advantage like now.
“It is easier to have a nine-point advantage over Arsenal.”
Manchester City can temporarily reduce the gap at the top to just two points if they win tomorrow against Burnley, but Mourinho’s men can retake the five-point lead on Sunday. Should City lose tomorrow, Chelsea will be able to take an eight-point lead with a game in hand if they beat Southampton which will all but finish off the title race.