Chelsea

Jose Mourinho takes swipe at Rafael Benitez over John Terry treatment

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 31 July 2015

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho takes a swipe at Rafael Benitez by suggesting that the Spaniard "stopped believing" in John Terry during his spell as manager.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has suggested that Rafael Benitez "stopped believing" in John Terry during the Spaniard's stint as coach at Stamford Bridge.

The ex-Liverpool boss, who is now in charge of Real Madrid, spent one season with the Blues before Mourinho returned for a second spell in 2013.

Mourinho has admitted that upon his return to West London, he thought that Terry was "finished", but the club captain became a pivotal figure in Chelsea winning the Premier League title last season.

In an interview with ESPN, Mourinho said: "Certainly a couple of years ago, [Terry] disappeared. A couple of injuries, one or two managers that stopped believing in him at the club, bringing in other defenders that they thought would be John's replacement.

"And especially in the season before I came, which was Rafael Benitez's season, I thought 'this guy's finished' because he's not playing finals, he's not playing in big matches. I thought he was in trouble."

Terry joined Chelsea's academy in 1995 and made his senior debut three years later.