Players are all behind me, insists Chelsea boss

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has insisted his players are united behind him and backed them to finish top of their Champions League group.

One report, which the club strenuously denies, suggested a player had said they would rather lose than win for Mourinho, and Cesc Fabregas has since rejected accusations he has orchestrated a squad revolt.

Mourinho is adamant his team are still responding to his methods, after a run of just two wins in the last nine games in all competitions.

And he is confident they will respond with victory over Dynamo Kiev in Wednesday’s Champions League match.

He said: “[They are] giving their best every minute of every training session, giving solidarity between all of us, [having] fantastic personal relationships, training always to the limits in terms of quality and effort and always with a strong desire to win the next match, which is what we are going to try to do tomorrow.”

Chelsea are third in their Champions League group after a win, a draw and a defeat in their first three matches.

But with two home games, and a visit to struggling Maccabi Tel Aviv, to come, Mourinho said he was convinced Chelsea would end up winning the group.

He said: “I think Chelsea will finish first in this group. If we don’t finish first, we will finish second.

“I am completely convinced that we are going to qualify. But the reality is that the game tomorrow is not even a game we have to win because a draw tomorrow, with two victories in the last two matches, we would qualify.”