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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho blames 'two ridiculous mistakes' for Champions League defeat to Porto

His side produced a chaotic defensive display in their Group G clash

Jack Pitt-Brooke
Tuesday 29 September 2015 23:19 BST
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Jose Mourinho looks on as his side fall to defeat
Jose Mourinho looks on as his side fall to defeat (Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho blamed “two ridiculous mistakes” for Chelsea’s Champions League defeat at Porto on Tuesday night, insisting that the overall performance of the team was “good”.

Chelsea’s defensive struggles continued as Porto made enough chances to win the game comfortably. While Mourinho has been very critical of his player this week, last night he defended their display, arguing that the two goals they conceded – to Andre Andre and Maicon – were out of context with the game.

“It was a good performance with two ridiculous mistakes,” Mourinho said afterwards. “Sometimes you make that kind of mistake and you are not punished. Tonight we were punished.”

Andre scored from close range in the first half, while Maicon headed in a corner in the second half. “The second goal, for us it is a ridiculous mistake,” Mourinho said.

“We watch dozens and dozens of repititions of Porto taking corners. I thought we were completely ready for that. And in a moment when the game was under control and we were preparing a change, we concede that goal.”

Mourinho has always prioritised defensive organisation, especially from set pieces, but Chelsea have lost that this season and Mourinho admitted his frustration.

“The two mistakes [from corners] were difficult to accept,” Mourinho said. “The basic thing in football to work at is a defensive set-play. The ball is stopped, you defend the spaces or the man or both, but to concede the second goal was like ice in the players.”

Mourinho had dropped Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic to the bench, while Oscar, Loic Remy and Falcao were not even included in the squad. But Mourinho spared his players his harshest judgements in the press conference after their latest defeat.

“I don't think my players deserve me to be critical with them, apart from the two mistakes they made,” he said. “But I won't point the finger to one or another. Two mistakes cost us, the game was fantastic.”

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