The big awaited Champions League knockout stage game between Chelsea vs Inter Milan is only a week away, but excitement is already gathering around the game which sees “The Special One” Jose Mourinho return to Stanford Bridge.

The first leg of the Champions League Knockout stage saw Inter Milan Triumph against the West London side with Inter Milan beating Chelsea 2-1.

However rather then the teams, it was the managers who took centre stage with Jose Mourinho facing Chelsea for the first time since his controversial exit from the club on 20th September 2007 after feuds with Roman Abramovich.

Another really important fact to think about was Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea Manager who had returned to Milan for the first time since his exit from AC Milan the fierce rivals of Inter Milan.

The Fact that both managers have won the Champions League, Jose Mourinho with Porto in 2004, and Carlo Ancelotti with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007 has also added extra excitement to the fixture.

The big game however will be the Stanford Bridge saga of the epic battle between the two giants of European football.

Both Chelsea and Inter Milan will be going out onto the field with only one thing in mind, and that is to reach the Champions League Quarter Finals.

However there is much more in stake then the Champions League Cup, It’s a matter of pride for two men in particular, Jose Mourinho and Roman Abramovich.

Jose Mourinho Vs Roman Abramovich

The billionaire businessman, Roman Abramovich, suddenly came out of nowhere and turned the European football transfer market on it’s head with big money spending.

The charismatic Jose Mourinho, who came from a sporting family, started as a teacher and a low level coach, and made his own luck with his knowledge of the game. Mourinho managed his big break into the game with a lucky translator job for Bobby Robson at Sporting Clube de Portugal where he managed to befriend the English coach. Together they moved on to Porto and then Barcelona where Mourinho gathered the relevant experience required to coach a team.

Jose Mourinho was a big success at Chelsea as he managed a unique bond with the players and managed Chelsea as the fifth club ever since the Second World War to have back-to-back premiership victories (2005 to 2007).

So what had managed to make the charismatic Mourinho known as “The Special One” exit the club?

It was a collaboration of wrong doings mainly in the part of Abramovich which had eventually led to the exit of arguably the most successful manager of the clubs history.

The problems started with certain players being sent from the club, notably Eidur Gudjohnsen the Icelandic international who was transferred to Barcelona against the will of Mourinho.

But what ultimately ended Mourinho’s rain at Stanford Bridge was Andriy Shevchenko’s transfer from AC Milan for a club record fee. The Ukrainian striker who was regarded as one of the best players in the world at the time of his transfer to Chelsea, performed very poorly and only managed to score 14 goals in total in his debut season.

As Shevchenko’s performance carried on to decline, Mourinho started to drop the star signing of the summer out of the first 11 which made Abramovich unhappy.

The 06-07 premiership season had seen growing media attention on the Mourinho, Abramovich relation and there were even speculation that Mourinho will leave at the end of the season. There were also alleged power struggles between Mourinho and sporting director Frank Arnesen and Abramovich advisor Piet de Visser.

The final straws from the Abramovich administration at Chelsea FC came with the appointment of Avram Grant as Director of Football which was a sternly objected move by Mourinho. The situation got out of hand for Mourinho when Grant’s position at the club was anchored as he was given a seat on the board.

The tension came to breaking point when Dutch winger Arjen Robben was transferred to real Madrid and French midfielder Florent Malouda moved to Chelsea.

Mourinho finally departed from the club on 20th September, 2007, by mutual consent with the club following a meeting with the board.

Mourinho left the club with an impressive record. He had won Chelsea six trophies in three years and also undefeated in all home league games he managed in.

With all these past problems, suddenly put on the table from merely a Champions League knockout stage game, what can one expect.

The Champions League knockout stage game between Chelsea Vs Inter Milan is not just a mere game, it’s a battle field with arrows and swords being replaced by a football.

Abramovic and Hiddink in the dressing room: Would Mourinho allow such shenanigan behaviour in his dressing room in the very eyes of his own player??

Mourinho at Inter Milan Video

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