In the wake of a turbulent third and final season as Real Madrid boss, the high-priest of tactical dark arts embraced the opportunity to right the wrongs at Stamford Bridge, a facility he once called home. It was the second season of Jose Mourinho’s second coming.
Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez had miraculously guided the Blues to Europa League glory in May 2013 – it was an era of miracles for the Roman army. From a managerial perspective, the Spaniard had earned the right for a permanent deal, but the Chelsea hierarchy preferred a reunion with the “Special One”.
While Benitez continued his managerial adventure elsewhere, Jose Mourinho quickly got his second Chelsea spell underway, but it took a while for the “Wizard of Setubal” to work his magic again.
Chelsea won their opening fixtures against Hull and Aston Villa, but things did go south as a trophyless campaign unfolded. After 25 wins, 7 losses and six draws, the Blues finished third in the league, behind Liverpool and eventual champions Manchester City.
Never one to be outclassed, Roman Abramovich responded. Mourinho tabled his transfer requests and Michael Emenalo (technical director at the time) went to work.
After the World Cup in Brazil, while Argentines wept and Germans celebrated, Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Felipe Luiz, Thibaut Courtois, Loic Remy and the returning Didier Drogba soon settled at Cobham.
Then Chelsea unleashed hell.
On Matchday 3, in one of the games of the season, Mourinho’s men returned from Goodison Park with an emphatic 6-3 victory over Everton. Nine goals and four yellow cards. English official Jonathan Moss had quite the afternoon in what was Chelsea’s third successive league win.
Nine points from a possible nine, but the West-London club would make it four wins in four when Swansea City visited Stamford Bridge mid-September.
John Terry’s own goal gifted the Swans an early lead, but Diego Costa’s hat-trick and Loic Remy’s strike ten minutes from time put the game to bed. Jonjo Shelvey did pull one back for Swansea City, but it wasn’t an afternoon of comebacks.
The league leaders continued their perfect start to the season, going on a 14-game unbeaten streak before losing 2-1 to Newcastle at St Jame’s Park in December. Papis Cisse’s second-half brace condemned Chelsea to their first defeat of the season, sparking wild celebrations in Tyneside and beyond.
Of the twenty-three games left, Chelsea lost just twice – a 5-3 defeat to Tottenham on New Year’s Day, and a 3-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns in May. But they never relinquished top spot.
John Terry, Gary Cahill, and Branislav Ivanovic’s locked down defending; Cesc Fabregas’s passes split the defence; Nemanja Matic’s was a defensive shield in the middle of the park; whilst Eden Hazard and Diego Costa’s mesmerising chemistry in the final third, it was a sight to behold. The blues were balling again and in May 2015, the league title returned to Chelsea’s trophy cabinet.
Mourinho’s machine had conquered the coast of England again. Once more, his pragmatic approach and meticulous planning had transformed Chelsea from top four contenders to Premier League Champions.
The “Special One”, who had just recovered from a third season implosion at the Bernabeu was now the happy one, and only a madman would question the logic behind it.
Three years later, a certain Tuscan has won his opening four league fixtures as Chelsea manager. For the CFC faithful, it’s a familiar feeling, and Maurizio Sarri could be rolling back Jose Mourinho’s triumphant years, albeit, through a much more entertaining brand of football.