Players love atmosphere

when Barcelona played against Las Palmas in an empty stadium, do you think the players were happy?

“Do you think the Las Palmas players wouldn’t prefer to play with the Nou Camp full and in a great atmosphere? I never see a player complain, ‘Oh, this atmosphere was very strong’ – we complain when the atmosphere is flat.

“When we play at home and we don’t see big enthusiasm in the people, we complain. So we go to play against a big team with a big tradition in an amazing stadium.”

Mourinho saw Chelsea’s Champions League hopes ended twice at the semi-final stage at Anfield but has lost only one Premier League game there.

After the 2014 game that ended an 11-match winning streak set by Liverpool, Mourinho laid the blame for the defeat on Steven Gerrard, who slipped and let in Demba Ba for the opening goal in a 2-0 win. Manchester City took full advantage and went on to win the title. Mourinho said: “I have won big matches at Anfield, I have lost big matches at Anfield. I have left that stadium so happy, I have left that stadium so sad.

“Their supporters left that stadium in the direction of the Champions League final, and they left that stadium devastated because they lost a title, almost in the last game.

“This is football, this is the beauty of football, and again, I like to play there because everything is good. The result can be good or bad, but to play there is great. I hope to play there many times more.”