LONDON, March 12- Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has brushed off his side’s Champions League last-16 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, claiming they are still on course for a “fantastic season”.
The Blues twice allowed 10-man PSG to come from behind to eventually secure a 2-2 draw on the night, making it 3-3 on aggregate to send Laurent Blanc’s men through to the quarter-finals on the away-goals rule.
And, while disappointed to have seen their European adventure come to a premature end, Mourinho was still able to take solace in the fact his side have already lifted the Capital One Cup trophy this term, while they also lead the Premier League standings.
“It’s not time to cry or time to laugh, it’s time to analyse the situation – if we win the Premier League and the Capital One Cup, it’s still a fantastic season,” he said.
“I’m disappointed but I try to be pragmatic. When the opponent is better than us, the first step is to be honest and say we didn’t deserve to go through. We need to react – we have a Premier League to win and I’ve told that to the players.”
The Portuguese tactician has now already put his mind forward to Sunday’s Premier League clash against Southampton, where the west London giants will be looking to go eight points clear at the top of the table.
Mourinho continued: “Humiliated? I didn’t steal or go to jail. I lost a football match, I did my work the best I can. I have no words to describe what I feel, I just want to play on Sunday.
“I want to play tomorrow. In football you win and lose, you have good days and bad days. But I don’t have fear or desire to not play. All we can do now is try to win the Premier League. That’s what I said to the players: ‘Don’t cry and see you tomorrow at 1 o’clock.”
