While porto coach:

"The only thing that I want to say is that we are the best ones and in normal conditions we are more than the best ones. In normal conditions, we will be champions. In abnormal conditions, we also will be champions."

After being appointed at chelsea:

"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one."

Reflecting on his move from porto to chelsea:

"If I had wanted to be protected in a quiet job, I could have stayed at Porto. I would have been second, after God, in the eyes of the fans even if I had never won another thing."

The pressure of the 2006 premier league race:

"For me, pressure is bird flu. I'm feeling a lot of pressure with the swan in Scotland. It's not fun and I'm more scared of it than football."

Tottenham hotspur's tactics in a 0-0 draw with chelsea:

"As we say in Portugal, they brought the bus and they left the bus in front of the goal."

An injury crisis at chelsea:

"It is like having a blanket that is too small for the bed. You pull the blanket up to keep your chest warm and your feet stick out. I cannot buy a bigger blanket because the supermarket is closed. But I am content because the blanket is cashmere. It is no ordinary blanket."

Feeling the financial pinch toward end of his time at chelsea:

"The style of how we play is very important. But it is omelets and eggs. No eggs - no omelets. It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket you have class one, two or class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelets. So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem."

Contemplating a film of his life:

"If they made a film of my life, I think they should get George Clooney to play me. He's a fantastic actor and my wife thinks he would be ideal."

At inter milan:

"I am very happy at Inter. I am not happy in Italian football - because I don't like it and they don't like me. Simple."

On ex-chelsea manager claudio ranieri:

"I studied Italian five hours a day for many months to ensure I could communicate with the players, media and fans. Ranieri had been in England for five years and still struggled to say 'good morning' and 'good afternoon.'"

After winning la liga with real with a record points total:

"Like me or not, I am the only one who won the world's three most important leagues. So maybe instead of the 'Special One', people should start calling me the 'Only One'."

Before champions league semi with barcelona in 2011:

"One day (Einstein) said that the only mechanical force more powerful than steam, electricity and atomic energy is will. That Alberto bloke was not stupid. With will, you can achieve things."

(China Daily 05/22/2013 page24)