Jose Mourinho Opens Up on Chelsea Future Amid Carlo Ancelotti Return Rumours

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he doesn't need reassurances about his position from owner Roman Abramovich after the Premier League champions crashed out of the Capital One Cup against Stoke on Tuesday night, as rumours circulate Carlo Ancelotti will return to the club to take over as coach. 

The Blues fielded a strong side as they looked for solace in cup competition, but the west London outfit lost on penalties, prompting the Special One to proclaim he is not worried about his tenure at Stamford Bridge, as quoted by Richard Jolly of ESPN FC:

"I don't need it. I don't need more [reassurances]. My general situation is fantastic. I have a day off tomorrow [on Wednesday], I have a fantastic family, I can sleep well every night. And Thursday is one more day like I have in the last 15 years of my life."

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Dave Kidd of the Mirror said Ancelotti is in the running to replace Mourinho at the Bridge, but he only wants the job on a full-time basis—with the Italian keen for a second crack with the Blues.

The defeat means Chelsea have now won only once in their last seven games in all competitions, according to WhoScored.com. It was the team's eighth loss since the Community Shield match against Arsenal in August. 

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Chelsea lost 5-4 on penalties to the Potters on Tuesday, with Eden Hazard missing the decisive kick at the end of game. However, Mourinho refused to blame his under-fire midfielder, preferring to highlight his team's effort and solidarity, per Jolly:

"

If I have to blame someone it is the ones who tell the manager 'I don't want to take it' and run away.

[There was] a lot of quality, a lot of attacking quality, a lot of attacking football and emotional control. Everything was good apart from the penalty shootout. I think in the first half it should be 3-0 or 4-0.

Honestly, you think the players are not with me and didn't give everything to win the game?

That is really sad; not sad for me but sad for the players. That is a lack of respect to the players, not to me. For me it would be a fantastic situation if the players are against me, [because then] I can say we don't have results because the players are against me.

"

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Mourinho also confirmed in his post-match press conference striker Diego Costa had been taken to hospital following his first-half substitution because of injury, per Sky Sports.

The Blues coach has suffered in penalty shootouts in the past, with football writer Ben Lyttleton firmly laying the blame at Mourinho's door:

The circumstances at Stamford Bridge have turned into a toxic mess, and no fan or pundit could have predicted the Chelsea manager's dramatic fall from grace. 

However, Abramovich is one of the least patient and tolerant owners in English football, as his track record suggests, and a loss against Liverpool—and new coach Jurgen Klopp—will surely see the end of Mourinho's reign in west London.

Results will always drive a team like Chelsea, with failure unacceptable after the millions pumped into the club by their Russian ownership. 

It was almost incomprehensible to see Mourinho leave by mutual consent the first time it happened in 2007, but a dismissal at this point would be one of the great shocks in Premier League history.  

Ancelotti needs a new challenge after his departure from Real Madrid, and he will believe he has the qualities to dig Chelsea out of their current mire.