Chelsea fans show their appreciation for Mourinho but Maresca comes out on top as Blues secure narrow win over Benfica | OneFootball

On a night where Chelsea fans sang the name of former manager Jose Mourinho, who was back on the Stamford Bridge touchline with visiting Benfica, it is the current Blues boss Enzo Maresca who will be sleeping more easily tonight after his side picked up a much-needed victory.

Maresca had said ahead of the game that he did not think there was a reason for any negativity, despite suffering back-to-back Premier League defeats at the hands of Manchester United and then Brighton on Saturday.

But it is the nature of the Chelsea job that a bad couple of weeks will ramp up the pressure on the man in charge – something Mourinho knows only too well.

Even after everything that has gone on, with Mourinho having managed both Manchester United and fierce rivals Tottenham since leaving Chelsea for a second time in 2015, the Blues fans still adore him. Mourinho described his former club as a “winning machine” ahead of the game, and it was Mourinho who first set them on that path more than 20 years ago.

The Portuguese boss sheepishly gave an appreciative hand up to the Chelsea fans who sang his name at several intervals throughout the game. ‘The Special One’ certainly seems to have mellowed somewhat in his older age and this is certainly a different Mourinho to the one which first walked through the doors at Chelsea in 2004.

But some things never change. He was still as emotional as ever in the dugout, appealing for fouls and decisions like his life depended on it. There was a sign of his slightly calmer temperament in the first half, however, when Mourinho graciously stepped aside to allow one of his coaches to complain to the fourth official about a decision instead of himself.

Similarly to Mourinho, this game got calmer as it grew older. Perhaps anticipating a Mourinho-style away performance in which he prioritises keeping the opposition out and trying to frustrate them, Chelsea were caught out by the positivity and energy of the Portuguese side. The visitors started the game on top and created some dangerous chances.

Robert Sanchez tipped Dodi Lukébakio’s near-post effort onto the post before Richard Rios was also denied by Sanchez moments later.

Rios would find the net on the 18th minute, but unfortunately for him it was his own. Pedro Neto’s cross-field pass was fired across goal by Alejandro Garnacho before Rios inadvertently diverted the ball over the line.

The goal seemed to knock Benfica’s confidence considerably, with Chelsea taking charge for much of the rest of the half. Mourinho cut an increasingly frustrated figure on the touchline, which was not helped when the Benfica fans decided to let their hatred for former midfielder Enzo Fernandez known by throwing objects at him when he headed over near the away end to take a corner. The 62-year-old stormed down the touchline, pleading with the club’s supporters to calm down.

Benfica started the second half as they did the first, with positivity, before Chelsea soon wrestled back control in the clash once again.

Having held off making any substitutions until the 73rd minute, Mourinho opted to make a triple change on the 77th minute in an effort to shake things up and create a nervous ending for Maresca. They were successful in doing so, but the Blues were able to ride out the storm despite losing Joao Pedro to a very late red card having picked up two yellows despite only coming on as a substitute.

While this was not a wholly convincing performance for Chelsea, a return to winning ways and a first victory in the Champions League for the club since 2023 should serve as a reminder that things have progressed under Maresca’s management from where they were two years ago. But the Italian still has a way to go to match Mourinho’s achievements at the club.