"I will be there with my heart fully on either side. That's what a professional does," Mourinho, whose Inter Milan side will be protecting a 2-1 first leg lead in the last-16 clash against Chelsea, told UEFA.com. "I don't hide that Chelsea are a very important part of my life."
NEWS:Ancelotti takes sting out of Mourinho return
Chelsea's second leg with Inter on Tuesday is the most intriguing of the week's clashes which also include reigning champions Barcelona at home to Stuttgart on Wednesday following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Germany.
All eyes will be on Mourinho, however, as the charismatic Portuguese takes his place in the visitors dug-out at Stamford Bridge - just metres away from the seat where he orchestrated the greatest chapter in Chelsea's history.
"The good thing is that I don't have far to walk," he said. "From the dressing room to the bench is five metres. I don't have to cross the stadium, I don't have to feel the emotions from the crowd. I will just sit there and play my game."
Mourinho, who got his hands on the trophy with Porto in 2004, knows how desperate Chelsea are to land Europe's biggest club prize, having twice reached the semi-finals under him and losing to Manchester United on penalties in the final led by his successor Avram Grant.
Carlo Ancelotti, the latest coach entrusted with the task by owner Roman Abramovich, knows what it takes to win the Champions League, having done it twice with Inter's fierce rivals Milan.
"Mourinho deserves to have a good reception because he did a fantastic job," says Ancelotti told Chelsea's website. "Together with Roman he put a team into the best position in the world.
"I just hope that in the future, in a very long time, when I come back to Chelsea, I'll have this same reception."
