A closer look into the summer signings of Thibaut Courtois, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas that have worked wonders for Jose Mourinho this season.
Rewind to 2010, Inter Milan were crowned Champions League winners after beating Bayern Munich in the final but leading to the final, Jose Mourinho, then boss, had scored arguably one of the most celebrated victories in his managerial career.
The Portuguese coach had beaten former employees Barcelona at in a two-legged semi-final with the decisive match coming in front of a packed out Nou Camp.
Included in the Inter Milan side was former Barca player and hero Samuel Eto’o, a said to be enemy of Mourinho, but a player the Portuguese coach had got the very best out of and inspired to help the Italian side win the Champions League title.
Fast forward four years to today, Mourinho spent time in Spain battled Barcelona once again, this time in charge of Real Madrid, where he would come up against the likes of Cesc Fabregas in some heated encounters.
Madrid’s neighbours Atletico Madrid were also beginning to claw themselves back into the footballing world and would go on to end that with a La Liga title win and would be the likes of Thibaut Courtois and Diego Costa who would help them do so.
Mourinho left Madrid for Chelsea last summer and has just now begun to work his magic a Stamford Bridge, maintaining a strong lead at the top of the Premier League table thus far.
But he has not done it alone. Those said to be enemies that once were – Fabregas, Costa and Courtois, have provided the controversial coach with the quality he needed to do so.
Whether they have a relationship off the field does not matter, but one thing is for sure – Jose works best with his enemies, those that once were against him but have somehow joined his idea and philosophy.
This could very well be Chelsea’s year in the Premier League…….