Chelsea vs. Benfica: Jose Mourinho admits to 'putting question marks' next to Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital ahead of Champions League fixture

Benfica manager Jose Mourinho has suggested that it took time for him to be convinced that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital had what it took to become successful Chelsea owners.

Mourinho is preparing to make the eighth Stamford Bridge return in the away dugout of his career as Benfica square off against the Premier League giants in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The legendary Portuguese lifted eight pieces of silverware - including three Premier League titles - across two stints during the Roman Abramovich era.

Since Chelsea changed hands at the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have deployed a business model never seen in elite football.

Well in excess of £1bn has been spent on new players and, despite initial criticism, it has led to a Conference League trophy, a return to the Champions League and Chelsea becoming world champions.

Mourinho gives opinion on Boehly, Clearlake

Speaking at a press conference on Monday evening, Mourinho admitted that he had initially been left perplexed by the shake-up at Chelsea.

Nevertheless, he has now praised the job of Enzo Maresca, claiming that a "base of trust and confidence" has been established.

Mourinho said, as quoted by football.london journalist Bobby Vincent: "Honestly I don't know the model. I never studied their model. There was a set period where even myself from the outside, I was putting some question marks because it looked as if Chelsea lost their identity as a club, but what happened in the last season put things back on track.

"They gave trust to Enzo, he brought his ideas and his philosophy he wanted to bring to the club. The Club World Cup, I say the Champions League is much more important but that badge means a lot.

"It's the first time a club wins the Club World Cup, so congratulations to them. It gives them a base of trust and confidence."

"I will always be a blue"

Mourinho has recently just taken on his 12th managerial job, but Chelsea will always be viewed as the most special of his career.

Addressing his history with the club, Mourinho said: "Of course I will always be a blue. I'm part of their history and they are part of mine. I helped them to become bigger Chelsea and they helped me to become a bigger Jose.

"When I say I'm not a blue, I'm talking about the job I have to do tomorrow. There are not many clubs that do these pictures.

"There is a fear in many clubs about what happened in the past. Sometimes it looks like they want to delete people who made history in the clubs. This shows Chelsea are a big club."

Tuesday's game will be just Mourinho's fourth since returning to Estadio da Luz, the 62-year-old having racked up seven points from three Primeira Liga matches.