Mourinho: I still love Chelsea! Real Madrid boss refuses to rule out a return to Stamford Bridge
Jose Mourinho has offered his strongest hint yet that he would relish a return to the Stamford Bridge hotseat.
Pressure is mounting on under-fire Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti following Chelsea's alarming lack of form that has seen last season's double winners lose a grip on their Premier League title and dumped out of the FA Cup.
There has been a growing clamour among Blues supporters to see The Special One return after the Portuguese coach was axed by Russian owner Roman Abramovich in September 2007.
Special treatment: Jose Mourinho, who watched Chelsea draw with Fulham last week, is open to a return with the Blues
He said: 'I don’t know. I love Chelsea. I was the happiest man when I was there. I was thinking I would be there all my life. So you never know.
'When I sign a contract, I sign with the intention to respect the contract and be happy.'
Just champion: Mourinho guided Chelsea to consecutive Barclays Premier League titles
Doubts persist over whether the 48-year-old will stay at the Bernabeu beyond the the current campaign. Real are five points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona and Mourinho has encountered a frosty relationship with the club's sporting director Jorge Valdano of late.
All smiles: Fernando Torres and John Terry are preparing to take on Copenhagen in the last 16 of the Champions League
Mourinho's Real side are also in action tonight, against French outfit Lyon, and the Madrid boss wants to reach the May final at Wembley to defend the European Cup he won last year with Inter Milan.