Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says surprise Premier League
leaders Leicester City can win the title and admits every club is
"miles away from what they are doing".
Leicester host Mourinho's men on Monday with the Foxes two
points clear at the summit while defending champions Chelsea
are down in 14th, 17 points adrift.
Although he conceded his side are currently underperforming,
Mourinho preferred to focus on the achievement of Leicester
and their manager, former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri.
"They deserve to be where they are, let's be honest," Mourinho
told his pre-match media conference on Friday.
"I said a couple of weeks ago I didn't believe they could be
champions, maybe I have to think twice before I say that. To be
top after a good start is one thing, to be there in December is a
different story.
"They can win the title. It would be something magnificent, it
would be something to impress the football world, but these
things can happen."
Ranieri was named Premier League Manager of the Month on
Friday but Mourinho thinks the Italian's work should be
recognised over a longer period, adding: "I think he should win
the manager of the half-term, if you could give an award for the
first six months of competition.
"Everybody is miles away from him. Every club is miles away
from what Leicester are doing. They are the ones that
deserve all this respect and all these compliments."
Chelsea qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions
League on Wednesday courtesy of a 2-0 win over Mourinho's
former club Porto but their last domestic outing, against AFC
Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, ended in a surprise 1-0
defeat.
"I have to say, the last defeat was something that was far away
from what I believed [could happen]," continued Mourinho.
"Before we lost the last three points against Bournemouth, I was
convinced of a great December for us, to go for fourth."
leaders Leicester City can win the title and admits every club is
"miles away from what they are doing".
Leicester host Mourinho's men on Monday with the Foxes two
points clear at the summit while defending champions Chelsea
are down in 14th, 17 points adrift.
Although he conceded his side are currently underperforming,
Mourinho preferred to focus on the achievement of Leicester
and their manager, former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri.
"They deserve to be where they are, let's be honest," Mourinho
told his pre-match media conference on Friday.
"I said a couple of weeks ago I didn't believe they could be
champions, maybe I have to think twice before I say that. To be
top after a good start is one thing, to be there in December is a
different story.
"They can win the title. It would be something magnificent, it
would be something to impress the football world, but these
things can happen."
Ranieri was named Premier League Manager of the Month on
Friday but Mourinho thinks the Italian's work should be
recognised over a longer period, adding: "I think he should win
the manager of the half-term, if you could give an award for the
first six months of competition.
"Everybody is miles away from him. Every club is miles away
from what Leicester are doing. They are the ones that
deserve all this respect and all these compliments."
Chelsea qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions
League on Wednesday courtesy of a 2-0 win over Mourinho's
former club Porto but their last domestic outing, against AFC
Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, ended in a surprise 1-0
defeat.
"I have to say, the last defeat was something that was far away
from what I believed [could happen]," continued Mourinho.
"Before we lost the last three points against Bournemouth, I was
convinced of a great December for us, to go for fourth."
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