Mourinho: Blues seeding silly
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has branded UEFA's criteria to put his team among the Champions League second seeds as "silly".
However, the outspoken Portuguese boss insisted he was not attacking European football's governing body.
The Blues are behind Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League rankings for the coming season, despite winning the Premiership title for the past two seasons and getting to the semi-final of club football's top competition.
That has clearly been playing on Mourinho's mind, although he is more than happy to take on one of the big guns in the group stages.
"We are second seeds," said Mourinho. "There are four English teams in the competition and I don't remember when Liverpool were English champions.
"Manchester United were fours years ago, Arsenal three years ago but Chelsea were champions for two consecutive years.
"We are second seeds and that's silly but that is UEFA's criteria. I don't go against it, I just enjoy it because we will play some very good teams in the group stages.
"Barcelona, Real Madrid and possibly Milan and Inter are in the first pot so it's very enjoyable to have a big team."
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has branded UEFA's criteria to put his team among the Champions League second seeds as "silly".
However, the outspoken Portuguese boss insisted he was not attacking European football's governing body.
The Blues are behind Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League rankings for the coming season, despite winning the Premiership title for the past two seasons and getting to the semi-final of club football's top competition.
That has clearly been playing on Mourinho's mind, although he is more than happy to take on one of the big guns in the group stages.
"We are second seeds," said Mourinho. "There are four English teams in the competition and I don't remember when Liverpool were English champions.
"Manchester United were fours years ago, Arsenal three years ago but Chelsea were champions for two consecutive years.
"We are second seeds and that's silly but that is UEFA's criteria. I don't go against it, I just enjoy it because we will play some very good teams in the group stages.
"Barcelona, Real Madrid and possibly Milan and Inter are in the first pot so it's very enjoyable to have a big team."
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