The prodigal son returns, well not quite yet as the first leg of the Champions League, second-round tie between Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan and Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea actually takes place in Italy.

But nonetheless it will be the first time that Mourinho faces his former employers since his acrimonious departure from Stamford Bridge in Sept 2007.

The Portuguese enjoyed three glory-filled years in west London and that was all it took for him to become the most successful manager in their history, winning two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups, as well as guiding the Blues to two Champions League semifinals.

That alone ensured this tie needed no extra build-up but Mourinho has never been one to shy away from controversy and recent comments in the press attributed to him have certainly stoked tensions.

Mourinho has apparently claimed the current team is still the one he built and that if anything it has even gone backwards since his days in charge.

And the former Porto boss claimed the current line-up loses too many games.

In his three full seasons, Chelsea lost a total of nine matches, an average of three a season while Ancelotti's team has already lost four this campaign.

"The Premier League is never easy - every game normally is difficult. But when a team is strong, strong, strong, strong, strong, it doesn't lose so many matches, so many points," said Mourinho, possibly forgetting his title winning side in 2006 lost five times.

Ancelotti, who locked horns with Mourinho last season in Italy when in charge of AC Milan and with whom he enjoyed a fractious relationship at best, hit back claiming Mourinho's successors have also done well - although they have won only one FA Cup since he left.

"I don't know, I think that Chelsea had a fantastic season also after he was there because Avram Grant did fantastic work here. They qualified to play the (Champions League) final, so Mourinho won a lot of trophies here but also the other managers did a very good job," said Ancelotti, who suggested the pair do not get on too well.

"I never said he is my friend, we didn't go to eat together and to drink wine together (when both were living in Milan).

"Usually when you go to eat and to drink one, two, three glasses of wine, usually you have a good relationship about this, but we didn't.

"In Italy we are not used to this, in England, maybe, no problem. It could be a good moment to improve our friendship, no?"

While Chelsea have certainly been the best team in England this season, that is in part due to Manchester United's inconsistency and Arsenal's continued failure to turn promise and potential into genuine substance.

Inter, for their part, have been head and shoulders above the rest in Italy and their home-and-away victories over AC Milan - with an aggregate score of 6-0 - proved that they are truly dominant in the country.