Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho sys he'd happily take second place ahead of tonight's clash at Manchester City.
Despite beating City at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho has long since hailed Manuel Pellegrini's team favourites for the title.
"They're complete," said the Chelsea boss. "The players are amazing, the squad is fantastic but you also need the manager to do a good job and I think he is. The players are experienced.
"They were champions two years ago and a big nucleus is the same. They have everything and we need a bit more time, a few more players. Just a little bit. If we finish second it is fantastic.
"If we finished second, doing the formation work, it is an acceleration of our progress. It is good."
Chelsea have a different financial plan in the wake of FFP. When Abramovich first arrived, they would not have sold Juan Mata mid-season and would have fought with City for Porto centre half Eliaquim Mangala, rather than conceding defeat to sign teenager Kurt Zouma.
"Back then it was a free world," said Mourinho. "There was no FFP. If your club was a rich one, your owner a rich one, there were no rules. It was an open situation."
