Chelsea hit back at Porto

Chelsea today hit back at Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto Da Costa as the war of words escalated ahead of Jose Mourinho’s return to the club tomorrow night.

Mourinho faces a hostile reception from Porto’s fans when he goes back to the club he led to the Champions League title last season.

It will be his first return to Porto since quitting Stamford Bridge in the summer and the Portuguese fans are in no mood to forgive him for walking out.

Mourinho opted out of a press conference, sending assistant Steve Clarke along instead.

And Clarke wasted no time in biting back at the Porto chief’s latest outburst in which he called Chelsea ’a small, nothing club’ at the publicity launch for his book this weekend.

The Blues coach said: “We think we are a big club. Obviously, you have to respect Porto’s achievements over the last two years - they are the current European champions on the field.

“But we think we are a big club because of the way we conduct our business on and off the pitch.

“We are trying to get to the top of the profession if you like – we are trying to be European champions and the top side in England. That’s what we are after.

“But there’s more to being a big club than winning trophies – it is how you conduct yourselves and how you look after your employees.

“There’s lots of things that go to make up being a big club. If Jose Mourinho was to win the Champions League with Chelsea and if he ever came back to the club with another team, he would get a tremendous reception from the fans.”

Clarke added that, despite his absence, Mourinho would be preparing for tomorrow’s game in the normal manner and would have no sadness if he kicked Porto out of the competition by winning.

He added: “We expect the fans to be hostile. That’s normal for an away tie in Europe. But Jose is looking on this game as another match. He wants to win and he’s very motivated.

“It’s obviously got a little bit of a special meaning for him but he likes to win football matches. But I don’t think there will be any sadness if he puts them out.

“He’s now the manager of Chelsea and is a professional – he wants Chelsea to win every match now.”