Jose Mourinho has issued a rallying call to Chelsea players and fans, insisting their season is not over yet.
The Chelsea manager conceded defeat in the Barclays Premier League title race after his side’s 1-0 defeat by Crystal Palace last week, while Chelsea were beaten 3-1 by Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
But Mourinho said any player or supporter who thinks the fight for either trophy is over should ‘stay at home and watch Dortmund versus Real Madrid on the television’.
The Chelsea boss said he would not contemplate resting players for Saturday’s Barclays Premier League clash against Stoke City, with the club just two points adrift of leaders Liverpool with six matches to play, and vowed his team would continue to ‘go for it’ on all fronts.
Mourinho said: ‘The Champions League is not over, clearly. It’s not over: far from it. If a player doesn’t believe it’s not over, it’s better to stay at home. If any supporter thinks not possible, better to stay at home and watch Dortmund versus Real Madrid on the television. It’s not over.
‘In relation to the Premier League, we have six matches to play. The moment we don’t want to give everything to win all matches, we’re not good professionals. I won’t accept that about me or my players.
‘I’m not going to rest eight players against Stoke because we have no chance and can beat PSG. I’m saying go for it, go for the six matches and try to win them.
‘The PSG match is the kind of match I want the players and supporters to enjoy very much. I will enjoy it. Let’s go, let’s play and let’s enjoy it.’
Mourinho also claimed Fernando Torres still has a future at Stamford Bridge, despite his failure to score a Premier League goal since January 11, but said he expected Chelsea to spend up to £60million on bringing in a big-name striker this summer.
‘I think Chelsea can do that,’ he said. ‘I think Chelsea can’t do that with four or five players and spending £250m, but we can do it with one player. That’s possible for Chelsea, yes.
‘Chelsea can be considered very successful with strikers (over the years). Didier Drogba was there for nine years. Nine years. That man was main striker. They did well.
‘At 30, Fernando is not going to add new qualities to those he has and the profile of player he is. He gives what he can. We respect that, I respect that.
‘That’s why he keeps playing and we keep trusting him and believe he still has things to give. I believe he has a future here, yes.’
