The Special One’s Chelsea homecoming for the Benfica clash comes as the current Blues boss faces mounting scrutiny after a poor run of form.
The timing, as ever with Jose Mourinho, feels pointed. The man Chelsea fans once called “The Special One” makes his emotional return to Stamford Bridge this Tuesday, and he walks back into a building buzzing with tension and uncertainty.
Mourinho brings his Benfica side to London for a Champions League encounter that is about far more than just points. It serves as a stark contrast of realities: the return of a legendary, trophy-laden past coincides with a present-day wobble for current manager Enzo Maresca.
The Italian boss is already facing scrutiny after a bruising run of form. With just one win in their last five matches—a narrow victory over lower-league Lincoln City—defeats to Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and most recently Brighton have turned up the pressure. The loss to Brighton was particularly damaging, reportedly prompting an immediate meeting among the club’s top brass, including co-owner Behdad Eghbali.
While the club insists Maresca’s job is safe and he will be judged at the season’s end, sources suggest the manager is frustrated. From the summer, he pushed for reinforcements in goal and central defense, and it is precisely those positions that have hurt him, with red cards for goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and defender Trevoh Chalobah proving costly in key games.
Into this fraught atmosphere steps Mourinho, a master of narrative and a man who built his legend on defying odds. The prospect of him deepening Chelsea’s current troubles—and reminding the Stamford Bridge faithful of his enduring magic—is a dangerous one for Maresca.
For Chelsea’s hierarchy, the priority is restoring calm. The message from their Cobham training base is that Maresca will be backed, with the January transfer window expected to address his key concerns. But in the high-stakes world of football, optics matter. A loss to the beloved Mourinho would sting deeply and sharpen the focus on Maresca’s early struggles.
The stage is set for a classic Champions League drama. On one side, Mourinho, the returning king, always ready to prove a point. On the other, Maresca, a manager who just needs a win to make people believe in his project once more.
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