Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that he is unsurprised by Chelsea's form under Jose Mourinho, but insisted that his fellow Portuguese can turn things around in West London.
The Premier League champions languish 15th in the table after winning 11 points from a possible 33 this season - their worst start to a top-flight campaign since 1978.
Ronaldo, who played under the 52-year-old at Real Madrid for three years, says that the slump does not surprise him one bit given the unpredictable nature of modern-day football.
The duo are reported to have endured a frosty relationship toward the end of Mourinho's ill-fated stint at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the 30-year-old hopes to see his compatriot spark an upturn in fortunes shortly.
"Mourinho's situation? I'm not surprised because in football anything can happen," the Real Madrid star told BBC Sport.
"Of course, he's a manager that I was working with for two years and I know his potential. I know that not just him but Chelsea are in this tough situation.
"As a Portuguese man, I want to see the Portuguese at the top level all the time. So this is what I wish for him that he can go through this bad situation and make Chelsea fans happy because they deserve it."
Mourinho's troops sit 14 points behind co-leaders Manchester City and Arsenal.