Football
ESPN staff 9y

Chelsea's Jose Mourinho: Steven Gerrard wrong about John Terry rift

Jose Mourinho has dismissed Steven Gerrard's suggestion that issues with John Terry contributed to Chelsea's poor start to the season.

Chelsea have had a highly disappointing start to the 2015-16 campaign, losing the Community Shield and then winning only one of their first five Premier League games.

However, the English champions began their Champions League Group G campaign with a 4-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv at Stamford Bridge, with goals from Willian, Oscar, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas.

Former Liverpool captain Gerrard, speaking during his work as a BT Sport pundit, had said the poor start appeared to be at least in part down to issues with Chelsea skipper Terry, who was one of six players to be rested for Wednesday's game.

"There's certainly a bit of friction behind the scenes because for me, you play John Terry week in, week out," Gerrard said. "He's your captain.

"He's such an important figure in the dressing room and if Chelsea want to be successful this season, they need him in there.

"Chelsea were champions three months ago, they were the best team in the league, the PFA player of the year in Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas was on fire.

"Something's clearly happening behind the scene that we're not clued up on. You can't have that many problems in an 11 so quickly."

However, Mourinho, who tried to sign Gerrard during his first stint as Chelsea manager, said: "Steven is wrong. I have a very good relationship with him. Sometimes we contact by SMS [text message]. But he's wrong, because we have no problems."

Despite all Chelsea's domestic troubles, they were the only English team to begin the Champions League with a win after Arsenal joined Manchester United and Manchester City in making a losing start.

"It's bad news for English football," Mourinho said.

"I'm not happy with that. I want Man City, Man United and Arsenal to lose in the Premier League -- not in the Champions League."

The Gunners visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday in the Premier League and Mourinho will be happier to prepare after a win.

"For all of us to wake up [on Thursday] after a defeat, to go to Cobham again, to train again after a defeat, two days before a derby against Arsenal, I could imagine how difficult it would be for everyone," he added.

Willian picked up a hamstring injury and joins Pedro in missing the Arsenal game, while Radamel Falcao missed the Maccabi contest injured and Oscar may also be absent after recently returning from a knee problem.

Mourinho praised Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was among those to come into the starting XI and might have had a penalty towards the end of the first half before Oscar converted from the spot.

"He's potentially a very good player, but we have to feed these young players and choose the right moment," Mourinho added.

Chelsea had already missed from the spot by then as Eden Hazard blazed a sixth-minute penalty over the bar.

Mourinho praised the response of his side and says Hazard can continue taking spot-kicks if he wishes -- as it is unlikely his side will be awarded one in the Premier League.

"It's up to him. If he wants, yes. If he doesn't, no," Mourinho said.

"How many times we have a penalty in the Premier League? I don't think it's a problem, to be fair."

Information from the Press Association was used in this report.

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