The reigning champions head to last season’s runners-up on the back of a 2-2 home draw with Swansea City in their opening game. “I cannot say it’s crucial, it’s decisive, or it’s very, very important,” said Mourinho. “But it is two title contenders, and three points.” Manchester City won the title in 2013-14 before finishing eight points behind the Blues last season.
But Mourinho has played down the significance of this weekend’s encounter, with the season just one game old. “The season is very long. T
hirty-eight matches is an eternity, a marathon which started last week and ends in around 10 months,” he added. “If you can get three points and your opponent zero it is important. “But for sure I am not going to say the game decides anything for the winner or anything for the loser.” While Chelsea were held on the opening weekend, City comfortably beat West Bromwich Albion away 3-0.
The City and Chelsea bosses have a rivalry that dates back to when the Portuguese succeeded Pellegrini as Real Madrid boss in 2010 and made unflattering comments about his Chilean predecessor.
They did not shake hands after their first meeting in England in October 2013. But Pellegrini said yesterday: “I said the first day I arrived here I have my differences with him but I always shake hands with him.”
As for the significance of the game, the Chilean added: “We are not thinking about the title in the second game. “But we are thinking about trying to win our points at home, especially as we are playing against the champions and one of the teams that has a lot of chances to win the title. “It is the same as Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham – all the big teams.”
