• Chelsea 2-0 PSG, Champions League

Mourinho: We deserved to go through

ESPN staff
April 8, 2014
Jose Mourinho said he did not run down the touchline to celebrate Demba Ba's late goal - but to warn his strikers © PA Photos
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Jose Mourinho claimed he "always believed" his team would emerge victorious from their epic Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge.

On a night of high drama in west London, Chelsea needed a last-gasp Demba Ba goal to secure an away-goals win after a 3-3 aggregate draw over the two legs, with Mourinho suggesting the late twist in the plot was just what he had planned all along.

"You always believe, it is part of our nature," Mourinho told Sky Sports. "The same way we concede a goal in Paris that nobody was expecting, the third goal why not we score.

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Eden Hazard came off injured in the first half against Paris Saint-Germain © Getty Images
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"We risked everything with Demba [Ba], Nando [Torres] and [Samuel] Eto'o all playing together, trying to put the ball direct because our midfield was really tired and broken.

"Also we know Paris is not adapted to this kind of football because in France they are completely dominating. The style of French football has nothing to do with this kind of [long ball] approach.

"Yesterday, we trained for this. The players knew if we had to make this last change, they knew what to do. We had the bit of luck that we need and Demba made a goal that means so much to all of us.

"We did enough to score before this second goal, but PSG were a contradiction of what they said they would do. They said they would attack, but they played pure counter attack. In the end, we deserve to go through. The team that does not deserve to go through, the team that played with the heart is through."

Mourinho went on to heap praise on his players, as he inspired yet another memorable night at the Bridge.

"All of them gave everything," he stated. "Even in some difficult moments, they did absolutely everything. To play against PSG is not easy, but my four defenders were brilliant as usual.

"The midfield work like animals. David Luiz was a monster and the people in attack some of them tried to create with their qualities and in attack, Nando and Demba gave great help to the team."

Mourinho went on to reveal his charge down the touchline after Ba's late goal was not to celebrate with his players, as he had an alternative agenda.

"I wanted to tell Fernando and Demba the changes we had to do," he said.

"We still had three minutes plus extra time and to do that with the way we were playing was too risky. I want Demba to play in front of the defenders because I know Alex is going there for the long balls and I wanted Nando to defend against Maxwell and he will come forward from left back. They knew what to do."

Meanwhile, John Terry admitted he never thought Chelsea were out of it - even when they were chasing the game at 1-0.

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