Winning the Europa League with the then reigning champions of Europe was considered by many to be a redemption of sorts for Rafa Benitez as interim Chelsea manager last season. But long-time nemesis and successor Jose Mourinho obviously does not agree with that sentiment. Mourinho took full credit for the UEFA Super Cup Benitez won as his successor at Inter in 2010, but he won't be doing the same for the trophy the newly appointed Napoli manager won at the club he helped turn into a winner. Instead, he's decided to label such an achievement as "a disappointment" for a manager of his caliber and a club like Chelsea.
From the BBC:
"I don't want to win the Europa League," said the Chelsea manager.
"It would be a big disappointment for me. I don't want my players to feel the Europa League is our competition." [...]
"The most important thing in football is to be the best team in the season and try to win your domestic league," he said.
"In our case, it's the most important league in Europe, so we have to try and be the best team and win the Premier League."
Benitez has won the Europa League/UEFA Cup twice (with Valencia and Chelsea) in his career and the Champions League once (Liverpool), while Mourinho has won the lesser competition once (Porto) and the Champions League twice (Porto, Inter).
Next on Mourinho's list of ways to indirectly put down Benitez: saying that people with goatees only have them to cover their cold sores.
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