Schalke vs Chelsea: Jose Mourinho says his Blues side are playing better than any Chelsea team in recent memory

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Jose Mourinho claimed his Chelsea team were playing the best football of any Chelsea team in recent memory after tonight’s 5-0 win against Schalke 04 in the Champions League. Mr Grumpy before the game, the Portuguese was Mr Happy afterwards and with good reason after a scintillating display against the Bundesliga side.

“I’m very pleased, it was a very impressive performance,” said Mourinho. “I don't remember Chelsea playing in this way away from home [before]. Obviously there have been great victories away from home with me, with Roberto [Di Matteo], with other managers. But this was very impressive. The media are going to say Schalke were not good, they made mistakes, but the reality is any team that played against us would feel it was very difficult.”

Goals from John Terry, Willian, Didier Drogba, Ramires and an own goal ensured Chelsea will top Group G and secure a seeded place in the knock-out stages with a match to spare.

Mourinho added: “I said to them before the game we were not coming to make mathematics – a point is enough, a draw, we need this or that – we just came to play. We showed that from the first minute.

“The team were always in control, playing very well, top quality football, very compact, no mistakes. I don't remember [Thibaut] Courtois having a real save, just a deflection and the ball hit the bar. Everything was under control and the result was the consequence of one team playing a fantastic match.”

“The team were so solid. Sometimes when a team is winning 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, you make a mistake and allow the others to score. But no. We didn't.”

Mourinho, who said Diego Costa would be fit to play at Sunderland on Saturday despite being withdrawn after taking a knock, added: “The players are very serious. Everything they do is with big focus and ambition, but at the same time with this component, which is something new in Chelsea football: this happiness, this flair, this beauty. The way they are doing things, we are very happy. We are having good results and playing really, really well at this moment.

“This team is completely different to my team in 2004-08. Completely different. But to be as good or better than other Chelsea teams this team needs to win. At this moment: zero titles. We have to try and win things so this team goes down in Chelsea's history as a brilliant team who won something.”