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Mourinho set to miss Bayern game
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will not even be at Stamford Bridge for the Premier League leaders Champions League quarter-final first leg tie against Bayern Munich, his assistant Baltemar Brito told a news conference.
The match will see Mourinho serving the first game of a two-match ban imposed by UEFA following the Portuguese's criticisms of referee Anders Frisk after the first leg of Chelsea's match against Barcelona in the previous round.
But while the ban prevents Mourinho from having contact with his players before and during the game, he could still have been at the London club's ground.
However Brito, speaking through an interpreter, said his compatriot would watch the game "away from the stadium" and in a "private place" on television.
And Brito insisted there would be no contact between Mourinho and the bench via mobile phone or other means.
Reports earlier Tuesday said Chelsea's Russian oil billionaire owner Roman Abramovich had flown in for an emergency meeting with Mourinho, who was so unhappy at the club's failure to challenge his ban there had been suggestions he might quit Stamford Bridge.
Brito said: "When Jose comes to a club or starts a new job, he gives 100 percent and expects 100 percent back.
"It is something you would have to ask Jose directly but I acknowledge that Jose felt he did not get 100 percent back.
"Jose is feeling really good right now but in respect of him not being there, he's not too happy because he feels slightly hard done by around the ban situation and so for that reason, he is not too happy."
Brito added: "It was just his decision to stay away. He will watch the match on television. Jose will be in a private place on his own - a very peaceful place. There will be no contact with his members of staff. He will be away from the stadium.
"But it will be the same as when he is on the bench, I don't think there will be that much difference. We have no tricks lined up. I've worked with Jose for four years and I know his way of thinking pretty much spot on.
"I know as much as he does about the players and the way they play. We work closely enough with the players during the week so on the day of the game there is no need to have that extra special trick or way of being in contact.
"I have a mobile phone but I switch it off two hours before kick-off and I do not take it with me on the bench.
"Jose does the preparation in advance of the game. He does that in the week leading up to the game so his colleagues know what to do in advance. Although I will be on the bench, it will still be Jose making the decisions because he is such a talented coach, he can think ahead.
"But we have the ability to make any sudden changes in his absence. We will have a meeting in the hotel on the day of the game and Jose will be there.
"As soon as the draw was announced Jose started an in-depth analysis of Bayern and their players. Our style will be different to the way we played against Barcelona and it should be a good game.'"
Chelsea will be without Paulo Ferreira (broken foot), Scott Parker (ankle), Wayne Bridge (ankle), Arjen Robben (ankle) and the suspended Mateja Kezman but Brito said they had no further injury problems.
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