Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said his side had won the toughest league in world football after a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday saw them crowned English champions.
Eden Hazard‘s goal on the stroke of half-time gave the Blues a 1-0 win in front of their own fans at Stamford Bridge and an unassailable 16-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Chelsea have now won the title three times under Mourinho but this is the first since the Portuguese manager returned to the London club for a second spell in charge in 2013.
Mourinho, whose trophy-laden career also includes domestic titles in Portugal, Italy and Spain, told Sky Sports: “When I came back I knew that I was coming back to the most difficult league to win in the world of football. And we’ve done it.
“Crystal Palace were fantastic with the way they have played. They were like they need the game to be champions or to not be relegated. For a team that is middle of the table that is fantastic and is the nature of football here,” he added.
“From day one to today nobody gave us anything. Everything we got we deserved.”
And Mourinho said the very strength of the Premier League, may work against Chelsea’s bid to add a second European Champions League crown to the one they won under Roberto di Matteo in 2012.
“The group starts with the League Cup and the Premier League but we know in future it’s very difficult and other teams will come even stronger,” Mourinho said. Agency report
