Pedro Neto: Chelsea star relishing showdown with ‘one of the best ever’ Jose Mourinho as Benfica boss returns for UEFA Champions League tie

He has led the Portuguese club to seven Primeira Liga points from a possible nine thus far, and will look to post their first Champions League win of the season after a 3-2 defeat to Qarabag FK in their opener – a reverse which preceded Bruno Lage’s dismissal from the dugout.

“When I was a kid, I was always a supporter of his teams,” Neto told TNT Sports. “I remember Inter, Real Madrid when (Cristiano) Ronaldo was there as well, and at Manchester United.

“He and Ronaldo are maybe the two biggest in Portugal. They opened the door for a lot of Portuguese players and coaches, and they are an example back home. I am looking forward to facing one of the best ever.”

Mourinho first arrived at Chelsea in June 2004, fresh from guiding Porto in a remarkable Champions League-winning campaign, during which he famously dubbed himself “The Special One”.

He guided Chelsea to consecutive Premier League titles, along with FA Cup and League Cup triumphs, before departing in 2007. Six years later, he returned, and went on to claim a third league crown in 2014/15.

“It’s impossible not to feel it (his presence),” Neto added. “The things that he achieved here were unbelievable, and I think the fans know it.

“Ricardo Carvalho played here, and you can feel the presence of these guys at this club because they had a lot of impact.

“It’s a feeling of pride to have Portuguese players that have done really well and I hope to do as well as they did here.”

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has also expressed his admiration for his opposite number.

“It will be a privilege,” he said. “Jose is a legend for this club and not only for different clubs.

“He is present but there are so many managers, especially Italian managers, like Carlo Ancelotti, Conte and (Maurizio) Sarri, who have all been successful here.

“You can see around the training ground or the stadium there are so many good managers.”

Mourinho returns to west London at a moment when Maresca is under pressure, having suffered three defeats in his last four matches.

While he has already won the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup, Maresca’s start to the season has invited closer scrutiny.

Neto accepts individual errors have cost the team, but he is confident the club’s fortunes are about to change.

“It’s always tough, always tough because we are a club that likes to win all the time,” he said of the club’s recent form.

“Of course it’s not the beginning that we wanted, but I think we had the control of the games and, because of our own mistakes, we lost them.

“Against Brentford (2-2 draw), in the last minute, and I think in the last game at home as well, we were doing so well. We had a red card – I’m not blaming anyone – but you know that it cannot happen.”

Reflecting on his Champions League debut, Neto said: “It was a dream come true. Of course, it was not the best match. I was looking forward to the game in a different way.

“We learned that we have a lot still to improve, and that is a good thing when you have a lot of room to improve. I think that you have to be positive about it.

“We faced a very good team with experienced players, and I think we did a good job.

“Of course with the quality and talent that we have, we could have done much better, but we’ll learn from that and we’ll show it in the next game.

“We had a lot of guys getting their debuts, like me as an example. It’s a different way of playing, and it’s different emotions as well.”

He added: “We have tomorrow’s game to do our best to bring the three points to us.”

Meanwhile, Maresca insists the mood has not soured at Chelsea after recent results.

“For sure, it’s better to arrive at these kind of games winning games. But at the same time, we know that the defeats arrived for different reasons. The only thing we can do is learn from that and try to avoid in the future,” he said.

“I don’t have any doubt that we’re going to get better and better.”