Mourinho has bemoaned injuries to key players, the fixture schedule and referees' decisions during a season which sees them trail Manchester United in the Premiership by six points with eight games left.

While their schedule may not help them catch United, Mourinho at least has players returning - Joe Cole hopes to be back next month, while skipper John Terry and goalkeeper Petr Cech are playing again after being sidelined.

Michael Essien missed yesterday's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Tottenham but his knee complaint is not thought to be serious.

"All season, we've never played with our best team. We lost Petr Cech, we lost Joe Cole, we lost John Terry, now Michael Essien," said Mourinho.

"I think when we play with a team similar to our best team we can show what we can do. The way we progress in the cups shows what this team is.

"The fact that we are second in the Premiership and six points behind shows what we had in December and January - I almost played centre-back!

"It reflects the points we lost, we had two matches at home, conceded four goals and lost four points against Fulham and Reading.

"It's a brilliant season by these boys, we just need to win more trophies."

With this season's Carling Cup already in the trophy cabinet at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho's men face Valencia in a Champions League quarter-final and Blackburn in the last four of the FA Cup.

Despite trailing United in the Premiership, there is still the possibility of a quadruple.

"It's still possible," added Mourinho. "We have a 25% chance in the FA Cup, we have 12.5% chance in the Champions League, to win the Premiership we have to win every game and we need Manchester United to lose four more points.

"It doesn't depend on us. If we could play Manchester United three times, maybe."

United's schedule trip to Stamford Bridge in April clashes with the FA Cup semi-finals, with a delayed meeting meaning Chelsea would miss out on putting immediate pressure on the challengers to their title.

"There is nothing we can do," Mourinho added. "Everything in this league went against us - injuries, decisions, fixtures.

"Now we have the Man United game we want to play now that we have to play later on. In the same week we have to play West Ham away and Newcastle away.

"Everything went against us but we are here."

Meanwhile, Juventus sporting director Alessio Secco has played down speculation the Turin club will make a move to sign Frank Lampard in the summer.

Secco was pictured with Lampard's agent Steve Kutner last week but insists it had nothing to do with any approach for Chelsea's midfielder.

"The truth is that we had a meeting in England to strengthen our relationship with certain English clubs and Lampard's agent helped us to do so," said Secco.

"We didn't go to London for him (Lampard) and there is no negotiation whatsoever to sign him."