Liverpool beat the Blues on penalties last night to knock them out of the Champions League semi-finals for the second time in three years as Mourinho again failed to deliver a place in a European final.

Ranieri, Mourinho's predecessor at the club, was dismissed for a similar record - although the Portuguese's back-to-back Premiership titles do appear to put him in a position of strength.

But Chelsea look set to lose out to Manchester United and relinquish their crown this season, leaving an FA Cup final against Sir Alex Ferguson's side as the last chance to add to the league cup win.

Ranieri told BBC Radio Five Live: "(Owner Roman) Abramovich wants to win the Champions League. He wants Chelsea at the top of the world.

"Jose Mourinho is working very well but I don't know what could happen.

"(Winning) the Carling Cup wasn't enough for me after four years - is it enough for Mourinho? I don't know.

"I'm not sure what happened (against Liverpool). But he (Abramovich) wants it. I think the match was fantastic and the second leg was fantastic.

"Chelsea lost the match at home at Stamford Bridge when Jose Reina made two great saves."

Ranieri, who took over at Valencia after leaving Chelsea and is currently at Italian side Parma, also admitted he could be tempted by a return to the Premiership.

He said: "England has fantastic atmosphere, great football, great fans.

"At the moment I am at Parma and in a very good moment."

Ranieri has been linked with a summer move to Fulham but asked if he had been approached by any English clubs, he said: "I don't know. I have heard nothing myself, I don't know about my agent."