Deco tips Blues to make final

DECO BELIEVES the 2014 Champions League is heading towards an ideal climax for Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

The former Portugal and Chelsea playmaker was in Mourinho’s Porto team which won the 2004 tournament and expects to see the Blues advance to the May 24 Lisbon final in tomorrow’s semi-final second leg with Atletico Madrid.

The Brazil-born midfielder, who played for Chelsea for two years from 2008, predicts Mourinho will face Real Madrid, the side he left last summer, in the final as the Spaniards take a first-leg advantage into tonight’s game with defending champions Bayern Munich.

Deco said: “For him he can be in the final, it’s the cup for him.

“Maybe against his last team, Real Madrid, I think it would be very good for him.

“I think Chelsea will go through. (The first leg) was a difficult game.

“They didn’t take risks because they knew that they had the second game in London.”

Deco p l ay e d for Barcelona, winning his second Champions League in 2006, but the triumph under Mourinho was a career highlight for the now-retired 36-yearold.

“He’s a fantastic coach,” Deco added.

“When we won the Champions League with Porto, it was very good. He’s still a friend.”

Deco would take great delight from Chelsea winning the tournament for a second time in three years.

He went on: “The Champions League is the best tournament in the world you can play in a club.

“When a player wins it is amazing.”