Mourinho targets Chelsea's 'last step'

Chelsea FC manager José Mourinho knows all about winning the UEFA Champions League having led FC Porto to the title in 2003/04 at the Arena Aufschalke in Gelsenkirchen. He will revisit the scene of his "best day in football" as Chelsea meet FC Schalke 04, as well as Valencia CF and Rosenborg BK, in Group B. uefa.com spoke with the Portuguese ahead of Tuesday's opener against the Norwegian champions in London.

uefa.com: You’ve been drawn against Valencia, Schalke and Rosenborg. How would you assess that draw and those three opponents?

José Mourinho: I'm never happy with the draw, I always complain! But that's just a philosophy, and maybe trying to wrong-foot people around me. It is a dangerous group. Chelsea are first seeds, Valencia second - two teams involved in the quarter-finals last season, we met each other. Schalke were contenders for the Bundesliga until the final week, they have a strong team. I know that when they play at home, their magnificent stadium is like a fortress. And Rosenborg are a typical Norwegian team, no big responsibilities because they are outsiders but I think they are also not an easy team.

uefa.com: How special will it be to go back to Gelsenkirchen, the scene of one of your greatest triumphs?

Mourinho: Since that Champions League final I have been there only once, last season I went there to see Werder Bremen play Schalke. I cannot deny it was very emotional for me to be there just as a pure spectator. To go there again, probably in the same dressing room, in the same tunnel, in the same press room, on the same bench in the same stadium - for sure I will have some memories of my best day in football.

uefa.com: You have taken Chelsea to two semi-finals in recent years, does that make you even more determined to go all the way and get your hands on the trophy?

Mourinho: Arsène Wenger says that last year when he saw the last 16 teams waiting for the draw he thought: "Any one of these 16 teams can be champions." And I think he is absolutely correct. Chelsea have been in three semi-finals in four years, it shows where the club is and shows that the club needs to make the last step to be in the Champions League final. Having won every competition in English football they want to make that step.

uefa.com: This is your fourth campaign with Chelsea, are you better prepared than ever to win the UEFA Champions League?

Mourinho: No, I don't feel that. But I don't feel the opposite either. I feel Chelsea at the beginning of the season is a strong team. Trying and aiming to win every competition but being realistic, which means understanding that you can't win everything in modern football. It is very, very, very difficult to do it. And especially in the Champions League when you get into the knockout phase. What makes the difference are little details.

This is an edited version of an article from this week's uefa.com Magazine. To read in full click here.