Players are still heroes - Mourinho

Jose Mourinho insisted that Chelsea would rightfully still be hailed as “heroes” by their fans this weekend for their title success – despite their Champions League semi-final defeat.

Mourinho was left frustrated by Liverpool’s 1-0 victory at Anfield, claiming the “best team lost” as Rafael Benitez’s side had benefited from a controversial refereeing decision.

That came when Luis Garcia’s fourth-minute goal was allowed to stand, even though William Gallas claimed to have cleared the ball before it crossed the line.

Mourinho insisted that linesman Roman Slysko had been intimidated by the fever-pitch Anfield crowd, but maintained he was still proud of his team.

Chelsea will parade the Barclays Premiership trophy on Saturday, when they face Charlton at Stamford Bridge, just a week after winning the top-flight for the first time in 50 years.

And Mourinho declared: “My players are still heroes, for sure. They have done what nobody at this club has done in 50 years. They won the Premiership.

“So for me, they are heroes. They can lose and lose, but if our group is so solid and so strong, for me they will always be my heroes.

“I think the fans have the same feeling as I do for my players. They deserve a good day at Stamford Bridge and for the public to show them they will always be in their hearts as they won the title."

Even in defeat, Mourinho had not lost his innate self-belief, claiming he still regards himself as the “special one”.

“For sure I am. You want to try and succeed in your job like I have done in mine inside three years? You have no chance,” he told one reporter.

“Of course, the players are upset. Everyone reacts differently but they are all sad. William Gallas is crying but he is not more unhappy than me.”

Gallas was adamant that Liverpool’s goal should have been disallowed, although Rafael Benitez claimed there should otherwise have been a penalty awarded and a red card shown to Petr Cech for a foul on Milan Baros.

Mourinho, who saw Eidur Gudjohnsen come within inches of a late equaliser that would have secured a victory on away goals, insisted: “I felt the power of Anfield, it was magnificent.

“I felt it didn’t interfere with my players but maybe it interfered with other people and maybe it interfered with the result.

“You should ask the linesman why he gave a goal. Because, to give a goal, the ball must be 100 per cent in and he must be 100 per cent sure that the ball is in.

“My players say it was not a goal. I have not seen it on television but other people say you can’t say for certain it was a goal.

“Only one person decided the future of the teams and of players who have never played a Champions League final.

“So it’s very strange. It was a goal from the moon or the Anfield Road stand, I don’t know where.

“But I respect that, I make mistakes, players make mistakes and he made a mistake. That’s life.”

Mourinho added: “What can I say? Just that the best team lost. No doubt, that is for sure. The best team didn’t deserve to lose.

“But football is sometimes cruel and you have to accept the reality. Sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it goes against you.”