Jose Mourinho: Champions league latest

Jose Mourinho insists there will be no need to panic should Chelsea lose the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese mentor is confident his side would be able to overturn the deficit in the return leg of the all-English clash despite playing away from home.

Mourinho said: "There's no panic. We must not play the first game at home thinking that we have to win or that we have got to get a result to get to the final.

"If we don't win at home, we don't win. We can win the second game. So that is the most important factor - we must not panic for a result at home. You cannot be crazy and chase a result at home.

"We can win in Liverpool, so there is no panic. Obviously, a win would be better than a draw and a draw better than a defeat. But after the game I will be very cool and whatever the result, I will believe we can win the tie.

"There is no pressure for me. It's very good to be in the semi-final. It is better to play than be at home watching it on the TV. I like to play these kind of matches.

"When I arrived at Chelsea I said I was special because I was European champion two days before that - so I arrived here with my ego big and now it is even higher!

"In this season's Champions League I have lost more matches than I normally do. We lost in Porto, Barcelona and Munich and I don't care if we lose one game against Liverpool as long as we win the tie.

"I have never lost a semi-final in my life but one day I will have to lose one. That's normal."

Meanwhile, Mourinho has revealed his admiration for Liverpool and their manager Rafa Benitez, insisting its is 'normal' that the Reds are in the semi-final.

He said: "I am not at all surprised that Liverpool are in the semi-final. What does surprise me is that they have not done so well in the Premier League.

"They are a team with one of the best managers in the world, some of the best players in this country and they have a glorious past that everyone respects.

"So it doesn't surprise me at all. To me it is normal that Liverpool are in the semi-final of the European Cup."