It was Champions League success that brought Mourinho to England in the first place. A repeat – especially if Mancini continues to flounder as his side did at Stoke last night – would be the best possible job application. After a 2-1 win which could have turned out very differently had Walter Samuel been penalised for tangling with Salomon Kalou, progress towards that goal is very much a possibility.
Yet should Inter get the result they need at Stamford Bridge and go on to win May’s final in Madrid, why leave San Siro at all? Such a victory would restore Serie A’s standing and would re-establish football’s orbit around the Portuguese.
On the other hand, should Mourinho fail next month at the ground where he once was king, then why would City take a manager whose recent CV is no more illustrious than that of their current choice and who is never far from controversy? Compare Mourinho’s record to Mancini’s to the Portuguese and he becomes testy. The Italian press, whom he has accused of “intellectual prostitution“, may not want to keep him, but they could be stuck with him.