Cudicini tips Mourinho to avoid Porto upset

Ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini believes Jose Mourinho’s knowledge of Porto stands the Premier League club in good stead for the sides’ UEFA Champions League meeting.

Chelsea were grouped with Porto – whom Mourinho guided to European glory in 2004 – Dynamo Kiev and Maccabi Tel Aviv at the draw in Monaco on Thursday.

And Cudicini, who played for the club between 1999 and 2009, believes Mourinho has the expertise to avoid an upset in their two Group G meetings.

“It’s never an easy draw in the Champions League,” the Italian told Omnisport.

“You get the best, we have Porto who do very well in the transfer market, they sold players worth €80m this year.

“But they always manage to get players in who fit very well with the Portuguese league and the Portuguese mentality.

“They are doing very well but obviously our manager knows Porto very well so that will be helpful.”

On Chelsea’s other opponents, champions in their respective countries, Cudicini added: “We’ve also got Dynamo Kiev who have started the season very well with five wins from five.

“It’s a long trip to get there, so it’s not the easiest, and Maccabi, which is again the Israeli champions and a manager [Slavisa Jokanovic] who did very well with Watford.

“It’s not an easy group.”