Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is back in touch with Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho. The London Evening Standard says the duo, who fell out in spectacular fashion before Mourinho was sacked in 2007 after three successful years in charge, have been in contact regularly and enjoy a much closer relationship.

Blues manager Andre Villas-Boas remains confident that he will be given the chance to see out his three-year contract having only joined from Porto last summer, but the club are in serious danger of missing out on qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in the Abramovich era.

There is no suggestion Abramovich has been in talks with Mourinho over offering him Villas-Boas's job, but the latter is aware he needs to improve results in the League.