Jose Mourinho is the European master as he goes in search of third Champions League trophy

By Neil Ashton for the Daily Mail

Published: 15:50 EST, 22 April 2014 | Updated: 20:45 EST, 22 April 2014

As a coach with more than 15 years experience at the very highest level, Jose Mourinho didn’t feel the need to be compared with Diego Simeone.

Chelsea’s decorated coach has cleaned up over the years and, as far as Mourinho is concerned, he’s still well clear of the rest of the field.

Seven league titles and two Champions League triumphs played the Copa del Rey and the Europa League. A no contest.

Scroll Down for Video

Man with a plan: Jose Mourinho sits on the sidelines as he watches Chelsea earn a draw in Spain

The master: Jose Mourinho gives instructions from the sidelines

The new order, when Simeone and the rest of European football’s up-and-coming gang of coaches take over, will have to wait a bit longer to take shape.

Chelsea, as Mourino reminded us, are the only English team left in the Champions League and he wants that little bit more respect for it.

Reaching the last four is certainly a magnificent achievement, particularly when he instructs his team to play with as much negativity as they could muster inside the Vicente Calderon.

The new order: Diego Simeone has impressed as manager of Atletico Madrid

They sure know how to grind out a result and Mourinho isn’t an apologist for whatever it was they were playing here. Pretty it ain’t.

Mourinho, the serial Champions League semi-finalist, couldn’t care less as he prepares for the second leg back at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening.

Chelsea’s manager has won this competition twice - with Porto in 2004 and with Inter in 2010 - and you wouldn’t back against him winning it, even with this team.

But it is now almost impossible to pinpoint precisely why he has become so insular.

Mourinho’s miserable pre-match appearance on Monday evening was a return to his depressing final few months in charge back in 2007 and no-one enjoyed that.

Welcome back: Chelsea's Ashley Cole returned to the starting XI and helped keep a clean sheet

Sure he will be peeved that they have probably blown the Premier League and there is a possibility that he may end up potless for the second successive season.

For Mourinho, who left Real Madrid last season after three years in charge, it would feel like the end of the world.

He isn’t a good loser but at this level, who is? The four bullet points Mourinho made on Saturday, following Chelsea’s 2-1 home defeat by Sunderland, have largely been forgotten following the behaviour of his assistant Rui Faria.

Mercifully we barely saw Faria, spending most of this first leg in the dug-out after his disgraceful behaviour at the weekend. No bad thing.

Battle: David Luiz helped Chelsea earn a goalless draw in Madrid

Still, it is probably as well that two technical areas at the Vicente Calderon are probably stationed 50 metres apart.

English football, with all the bravado of the Barclays Premier League, would do well to take note of the positioning of the dug-outs.

Still, this was always going to be Mourinho’s night and Chelsea’s manager spent the entire game patrolling the front edge of the technical area.

He was in the Vicente Calderon to frustrate, to stubbornly resist everything Atletico could throw at them. He didn’t disappoint.

Friends reunited: Fernando Torres takes a tumble under a challenge from Atletico Madrid's Miranda

Lord knows what that tactical briefing, held in the auditorium at Chelsea’s training ground on Monday morning must have been like for the players.

Still, Mourinho remains the master of invention and his decision to spring Ashley Cole after 18 games without so much as a sniff of the action was a remarkable move.

Chelsea’s left back has been in the cooler since an FA Cup tie against Stoke on January 26 and was then thrust into a Champions League semi-final. Go figure.

Job done: Mourinho gives the thumbs up after his side take the tie back to Stamford Bridge all square

Predictably he was ring-rusty in the opening minutes, instantly nutmegged by Juanfran before he settled back into his old role with a commanding performance.

Diego Simeone perceived a weakness, pinning Raul Garcia on to Chelsea’s left back in an astute tactical change just before kick off.

They fired off a couple of angry exchanges, some sly digs that tested each other’s temperament in a niggly, oppressive first leg. These two just about ended honours even.

Cole thrives in these environments, relishing the one-on-one battles. He survived with his reputation intact.

So, too, did Mourinho, despite the howls from Los Rojiblancos high up in the stands. It is fair to say they haven’t got a lot of time for him here.

Naturally, he couldn’t care less.

Comments (149)

Share what you think

• Newest
• Oldest
• Best rated
• Worst rated

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now