Few managers in Chelsea’s history have left as deep a mark on a club as José Mourinho. Twice he walked into Stamford Bridge as the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ and twice he left having delivered trophies, controversy, and unforgettable memories. Although it has been many years since both Chelsea departures, he has been no stranger to Stamford Bridge during this time.
In this article, we’ll revisit each occasion Mourinho has come back to Stamford Bridge as an opponent and how he fared against his former club.
The Special One Returns (Inter Milan, 2010)
Out of all the times Jose Mourinho has visited Stamford Bridge as the away team manager, this was perhaps the most memorable. You might have expected him to receive a fairly warm reception from the home crowd, given he guided Chelsea to two Premier League titles just a few years earlier, but this was not the case. Neither quiet respect nor loud praise, Mourinho was instead subject to abuse throughout the entire match.
It did not help that it was such a key match for Chelsea, with plenty riding on it. This Stamford Bridge return was for a Champions League knockout game in which Inter won the first leg 2-1. With the home side needing a win to keep their European dreams alive, it was hardly the time to exchange friendly greetings with their former manager.
The match itself went in classic Mourinho fashion. He set up his team so they were very hard to break down, and it proved to be the case. The scrappy affair, lacking much in quality, finished 1-0 to Inter courtesy of Samuel Eto’o’s late strike. Mourinho did not wildly celebrate the 3-1 aggregate victory, limiting himself to just some fist pumping when Eto’o’s goal all but secured the result.
A Humiliation Awaits (Manchester United, 2016)
Just 10 months after being sacked as Chelsea manager (his second stint), Mourinho was back at Stamford Bridge under his new role as Manchester United boss. He masterminded a great win the first time he sat in the opposition dugout, while at Inter, but this fresh return would not go as smoothly. This is putting it mildly really as United were embarrassed 4-0 in London. The scoreline was perhaps a little unfair given Chelsea managed just six shots on target, but their clinical finishing meant this was a game to forget for Mourinho.
If it was any consolation, the United manager did at least receive a fairly cordial reception from the home fans this time. Hundreds of fans gathered to greet him as the team bus unloaded, and he was warmly embraced by John Terry before kick-off. Widespread booing was absent too, although the home support could not help themselves, teasing their former manager by chanting “you’re not so special anymore”.
United Woes Continue (2017 & 2018)
Mourinho was given a chance to avenge the 4-0 humiliation when his United side were drawn against Chelsea away in the sixth round of the FA Cup later in the season. Mourinho oversaw a much more competitive effort from his side on this occasion, but N’Golo Kante’s sole strike settled a match that was high in emotion. It all began when Mourinho was involved in an altercation with Antonio Conte after Ander Herrera was shown a red card. This feud bubbled on as the match continued, with Conte reacting angrily when Mourinho kicked the ball down the touchline in the second half.
The battle between the managers, combined with the tight scoreline in a knockout game, worked up the crowd, who directed their increasing passion towards their former manager. Whereas his visit months earlier was somewhat friendly, on this occasion, Mourinho was subject to a lot of abuse from the home crowd. This led him to respond with three fingers, to signify the number of Premier League titles he had won at the ground.
Mourinho made two more visits to Stamford Bridge as United boss, a lacklustre 1-0 defeat in the 2017/18 season and a 2-2 draw the following season. The latter was far from a satisfying point, as United were seconds from a win until Ross Barkley found an equaliser in the 96th minute.
The Tottenham Era (2020-21)
Signing for London rivals Tottenham was not met with widespread fury by Chelsea fans, but it certainly did not help his popularity at the time. Despite this, the Special One faced an experience that was far from his most hostile Stamford Bridge visit. It no doubt helped that this fixture is one that Chelsea have a superb record in, so they came into it in good spirits. Additionally, they faced very little threat from their visitors, meaning there was no tension in the air. Tottenham’s sole strike came courtesy of an 89th-minute own goal and in truth, this was more than they deserved, with Mourinho criticised for his overly defensive tactics.
Despite criticisms of his approach, Mourinho was more than happy to sit back and defend when his Tottenham team visited Stamford Bridge the following season. This time, his conservative system paid dividends as he oversaw a goalless draw. Given Chelsea had been full of goals coming into the match, to register a 0-0 draw marked Mourinho’s best Stamford Bridge result since his second departure.
Winless Run Continues (Benfica, 2025)
Jose Mourinho made Stamford Bridge such a daunting place to visit for much of his time in charge of Chelsea. It still appears to be a complete fortress in his mind because he simply cannot buy a win at his former club. His most recent attempt came when taking his new Benfica side there for a Champions League game in the league phase of the competition. An early own goal put the hosts ahead, and Benfica rarely threatened to get back into the game. Bar one chance, which may have been offside, it was a classic Mourinho away at Stamford Bridge performance – compact and organised but lacking much attacking threat.
After all these years, the Portuguese manager did finally receive an extremely warm reception from the Chelsea fans, who chanted his name throughout. Although he claimed he did not feed himself on such memories, he did take the time to thank the fans for singing his name and said he hopes to come back one day with his grandkids. This is likely to set the trend for any future visits Mourinho may have to Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho’s Stamford Bridge Record as an Opponent
| Date | Scoreline | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30/09/25 | Chelsea 1-0 Benfica | Loss | Champions League |
| 29/11/20 | Chelsea 0-0 Tottenham | Draw | Premier League |
| 22/02/20 | Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham | Loss | Premier League |
| 20/10/18 | Chelsea 2-2 Man United | Draw | Premier League |
| 05/11/17 | Chelsea 1-0 Man United | Loss | Premier League |
| 13/03/17 | Chelsea 1-0 Man United | Loss | FA Cup |
| 23/10/16 | Chelsea 4-0 Man United | Loss | Premier League |
| 16/03/10 | Chelsea 0-1 Inter | Win | Champions League |