What do Inter and Chelsea have in common? They both had José Mourinho as their manager, and they are both now passing through their roughest patch in recent years.

And it was the name of the Portuguese coach that was chanted by both sets of supporters over the weekend – when in the FA Cup Chelsea were held to a draw at home by Birmingham, a team that competes in a lower division, and when Inter were humiliated by lowly Bologna, a 0-3 home defeat that practically dealt the last blow to Inter’s championship aspirations.

Mourinho looks likely to win the Spanish league this season and Real Madrid are on course in the Champions League too. But his relationship with the club is strained and there is a distinct possibility that he will leave in June. Chelsea and Inter will be there to battle it out for his services.

Chelsea lie in fifth place in the league, 17 points adrift of leaders Manchester City, out of the Champions League zone on goal difference but being chased by Newcastle and Liverpool, who are within reach of the fifth position that guarantees a place in the Europa League.

Carlo Ancelotti was sacked by Chelsea because he did not win the Champions League and finished in second place in the domestic competition – and this after winning the league-FA Cup double the previous season. Using the same criteria, Andre Villas-Boas should be dismissed too at the end of the season, if not before.

Inter lie in seventh place in the Italian Serie A, 14 points behind leaders Milan, out of the Champions League zone and barely inside the Europa League zone. They have grabbed only one point in the last five league games, and have been eliminated from the Italian Cup.

Inter have already changed their coach this season, with Claudio Ranieri replacing Gian Piero Gasperini after a handful of matches that included a defeat in the Italian Super Cup against arch-rivals Milan.

Both Chelsea and Inter saw their situation worsen in midweek. In the Champions League, Chelsea lost 3-1 away to Napoli and Inter were defeated by a last-gasp goal in Marseille. Both can recover from the setback – they both need a 2-0 win to qualify, but given their current form, it will take them a great effort to turn the tables in their favour.

Maybe it is the last chance Ranieri and Villas-Boas will be given before they are shown the door by their presidents. They can only save their season by winning the Champions League.