Jose Mourinho on when "love story" with Frank Lampard ended after controversial decision

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They were central to arguably the most-important era in Chelsea's history - but even the "love story" between Jose Mourinho and Frank Lampard wasn't quite built to last any turbulence.

Lampard carved his own place in Stamford Bridge folklore, becoming the club's all-time leading scorer during a trophy-laden 13-year spell which included three Premier League titles and a Champions League crown. Though it was the arrival of Mourinho into the Blues' hot-seat which triggered Chelsea and Lampard's steep rise to the top.

Mourinho's leadership helped transform his prized pupil from a good top-flight midfielder to a world-class superstar, with the self-proclaimed Special One admitting in 2005: "I can't imagine how he can improve because for me he is the best player in the world. There are other fantastic players, but they only appear once a month. Lampard does it in all the games."

The feeling was clearly mutual, as Lampard made no secret of his admiration for the Portuguese coach, though their connection was not bulletproof, with Mourinho later admitting their footballing romance was over.

Here, takes a look at the relationship between the former Chelsea pair, what went wrong, and why it took an abrupt sacking to begin to rekindle their