Chelsea welcome Israeli champions Maccabi Tel-Aviv to Stamford Bridge as Jose Mourinho looks to kick-start the Blues season.
The Premier League champions have won just one of their last six games in all competitions and will be looking to leave the woes of the English top-flight behind them on Wednesday night in their Group C opener against Tel-Aviv, a team managed by former Chelsea player Slavisa Jokanovic (2000-2002).
Given their opponents in Group C (Tel-Aviv, Porto, Dynamo Kyiv), Chelsea are expected to qualify for the knock-out stages as group winners, and rightly so. But in a match that had previously looked like an easy three points for Mourinho, the Champions League opener now has an air of ‘must win’ about it. With Jose Mourinho hoping to rediscover the form that made his side Premier League winners just three months ago.
However, Tel-Aviv won’t give Chelsea an easy ride Wednesday night, Jokanovic’s team have nothing to lose. They’ll be looking to take advantage of the Blues uncharacteristically bad defence, which has conceded twelve goals in just five Premier League games. Maccabi will also take confidence from their run of seven games unbeaten in all competitions.
Jose Mourinho on Tel-Aviv: “I respect Maccabi and I have watched them play many matches. I did my study, I know the team. I also had information that, in the last week, they trained with a different tactical system and will probably come to play with five defenders. I am fine. I promise you, I'm fine. I'm not happy, I'm not used to losing so many times, but I'm adapting. I'm not adapting to losing, but to the situation – the challenge – to have to improve.”
Slavisa Jokanovic on Chelsea: “It's a nice moment for me, back at a place that was my home many years ago. I was also here [as Watford manager] at the beginning of the year for an FA Cup game. I have great memories of the past season here in England but now I am focused on what is in front of me.”
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Chelsea: LLWLD
Maccabi Tel-Aviv: DWDWD
Possible team lineups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Azpilicueta, Terry, Cahill, Baba; Matic, Fabregas; Willian, Pedro Rodríguez, Hazard; Remy.
Out: Courtois (knee), Falcao (tendon)
Doubtful: Oscar (unfit), Ramires (leg)
Maccabi Tel Aviv (4-5-1): Rajkovic; Shpungin, Ben Haim I, Tibi, Ben Harush; Igiebor, Alberman, Mitrović, Miha, Ben Haim II; Zahavi.
Out: Dasa (suspended)
Source: DSG
