Mourinho: Final will be 'very close'

Jose Mourinho believes tomorrow’s Champions League final will follow the pattern of recent key meetings between Manchester United and Chelsea.

United pipped their rivals to the Premier League crown despite a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge last month and are looking to complete a double in Moscow.

Chelsea had the upper hand in last year’s FA Cup final but it took extra-time to separate the sides and former Blues boss Mourinho is expecting another tight game.

“It will be a very close call and I think it’s really a 50/50 match,” Mourinho told www.FeelFootball.com. “There are no secrets between these two teams and they have showed that time and time again.

“They have showed that in the Premier League this year, by finishing first and second, they showed that over the past few years where only Man United and Chelsea won the Premiership, and they showed that when they faced each other, for example, in the FA Cup final, where only the extra-time could resolve the result.”

Current Chelsea boss Avram Grant has usurped Mourinho by taking Chelsea to the Champions League final – the Stamford Bridge side were twice beaten in the semi-finals by Liverpool under the Portuguese.

United are bidding to win their third European Cup but Mourinho does not feel Alex Ferguson’s side should go into the match as favourites.

“A final is a final, and in finals we cannot speak about the favourite - especially between two teams from the same country,” he added.