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Can you name Jose Mourinho’s first XI in Chelsea return?

By Tom Bogert

Jose Mourinho the head coach / manager of Chelsea speaks with Fernando Torres of Chelsea (Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho the head coach / manager of Chelsea speaks with Fernando Torres of Chelsea (Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 18: Goalkeeper Petr Cech of Chelsea moves the wall during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on August 18, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 18: Goalkeeper Petr Cech of Chelsea moves the wall during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on August 18, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /

GK Petr Cech

In Mourinho’s return to Chelsea, he found some familiar faces like Cech and Terry. This would end up to be Cech’s last season as Chelsea’s number one keeper as Thibaut Courtois would return from loan the next season and usurp the Chelsea legend.

But in Mourinho’s second spell, it begun with Cech between the pipes before the manager sanctioned a player-friendly transfer to Arsenal because he felt the keeper had earned the goodwill after his fantastic service to the club. A clean exit ensued despite having all the makings of an acrimonious divorce.

RB Branislav Ivanovic

At the height of his powers in 2013-14, Ivanovic started the normal trend on opening day that he’d be in Mourinho’s first choice XI as he played in all but two Premier League games that season.

CB John Terry

Speaking of familiar faces for Mourinho at Chelsea, Terry started in defense. He anchored a Mourinho-style defensive side that’d keep a clean sheet on the day and would become accustomed to doing just that before the clown car drove into a telephone pole in 2015-16 that would lead to Mourinho’s departure and nearly Terry’s.

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Terry seemed to unceremoniously and publicly lose a key battle with father time and Mourinho didn’t do much to protect his captain, subjecting him to ignominy and shame by removing the central defender at halftime in the beginning of the next season.

CB Gary Cahill

The start against Hull in 2013 begun Cahill’s second season at the club after joining from Bolton and the partnership with Terry is one that lasted a few years. It was the heart of the title-winning campaign of 2014-15 then the gallbladder of 2015-16’s shutdown.

Cahill, unlike Terry, still figures to be a regular on the Chelsea backline in 2016 after the second Mourinho spell came to an end and the beginnings of Antonio Conte take shape.

LB Ashley Cole

Ashley Cole, Chelsea, classic! The former blue has since traversed to America alongside Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane at LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

Next: Defensive midfielders

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