Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has denied that the club's success is purely down to the financial muscle of owner Roman Abramovich.
"The formula spending equals success doesn't work in football," Mourinho told Barcelona-based sports daily El Mundo Deportivo on Saturday.
"Look at Inter Milan, they have invested huge amounts and haven't won anything for years, neither have Real Madrid. Barca have only won one European Cup. Porto and Liverpool have proved that money isn't everything."
"If you compare us with teams like Manchester (United) and Arsenal, you see they are strong clubs based on decades of signing players that are now worth a fortune.
"If you compare the Chelsea squad with any other of those teams they are worth the same."
Mourinho said his aim was to build the foundations for long-lasting success.
"We want a club that is very stable, one that doesn't make big mistakes with signings and has a growing number of players coming through the youth ranks."
He added that the only request he would make of Russian oil magnate Abramovich would be to ensure that his key players remain at the club.
"I would ask him to keep the players I've got, fantastic men who I don't want to lose. With all respect I wouldn't change (John) Terry, (Frank) Lampard or (Didier) Drogba for anyone."
The former Porto coach went on to explain the rationale behind his policy of rotating the players in the Chelsea squad.
"When I rotate players I always maintain the structure of the team so if, for example, I change the centre backs I will keep a defensive midfielder and the fullbacks the same or if I change the wingers I will keep the central players the same.
"There are two reasons for rotating players, one is to rest a player and the other is in order to have emotional control over the group in order to motivate more people."
MOST IMPORTANT
Mourinho said the most important aspect of management was to ensure the interests of the team were always above those of the individuals.
"The fundamental point is the respect the players should have for the team," he said. "It's the most difficult thing to achieve, but also the most important.
"When the players accept that the team's interests are more important than their own then it is easier for them to accept rotations."
He also shrugged off suggestions that Chelsea's style of football was dull.
"For me, being the team that has won most games, scored most goals and conceded the least means that we are spectacular," he said. "The result itself is spectacular and the fact that Chelsea are strong in all those areas means that we are spectacular side."
Chelsea lead the Premier League by nine points from Wigan Athletic and meet seventh-placed Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
