26 July 2015

Chelsea Can Play EPL Matches In USA - Jose Mourinho


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says that he is open to the idea of taking Premier League matches to the United States.

More than 61,000 fans saw Thibaut Courtois score a penalty to hand the Blues a victory in a shootout against Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's International Champions Cup match at the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.

Chelsea are set to have to find a new home for three seasons when work begins on planned upgrades to their Stamford Bridge home and Mourinho suggested that a trip further afield might work in the meantime.


"Maybe, when we don't have Stamford Bridge for a couple of years, we can come here and play a couple of matches in the Premier League," he told reporters. "We know the support is fantastic."

Further lauding the fan presence in Charlotte, the Portuguese observed that football in the US has come a long way.

"I think it's not normal to bring 60,000 fans to a friendly match," Mourinho continued. "The people gave us an atmosphere that is not normal in a friendly match.

"This is a match where you are not obsessed with the result - we just want to train - but the people made this a big atmosphere and we thank you a lot for that.

"I see the passion and I see the difference from previous US trips when I walk in the street, when me and my players go for a walk after dinner. Ten years ago it was paradise and it is not paradise any more.

"I think people know the players and the managers so the passion is coming... every year I come for pre-season, I see a difference."

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