Chelsea vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
After the month from hell, let alone the past week, perhaps a change of scenery will do Chelsea some good.
The Premier League champions can forget about their domestic woes for 90 minutes on Wednesday as they welcome Maccabi Tel-Aviv to Stamford Bridge to open their Champions League account.
Sitting just above the Premier League's relegation zone with a mere four points to their name from five games, Jose Mourinho has come in for some criticism this week.
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Speaking to the press ahead of the Tel-Aviv clash, however, the Chelsea boss seemed confident in his team and was more his usual self.
Indeed, at one point in his press conference, an irked Mourinho even quipped that a journalist should "Google answers to stupid questions" (per BBC Sport) when it was put to him that he was suffering from third-season syndrome.
That aside, Mourinho has been eager to express with certainty that Chelsea's recent poor form will soon subside.
The Chelsea manager said:
"I promise you I am fine. I am not happy. I am not used to losing so many times but I am adapting to the situation.
You cannot expect me to say it is all smiles, laughing and jokes. When people are not getting success we work for, we are going to be frustrated.
We know what we are—champions of England. The fans sing that. Nobody can steal what we are or our trophies or our history, you can try but you can't do that.
When you are used to winning all the time, then when you don't it is a strange feeling. Some people deal well with it, others not as good.
"
Mourinho also pointed to the fact that domestic league positions mean little in the Champions League. After all, without a ball being kicked in Group G, all four teams are on a level pegging.
The points meter sits at zero, so any pressure on Chelsea shouldn't be as significant as it is in the Premier League is the theory.
The fact remains, though, that Chelsea are desperate for a win and a performance. This weekend they will face Arsenal at home and they will feel much more positive heading into that game with a win under their belt.
It's expected they will beat their Israeli opponents and it's vital they do that well to start the process of getting their form back on track.
It doesn't bear thinking of the fall-out should Mourinho's men suffer another humiliating loss against inferior opponents.
Match details
Date: Wednesday, September 16
Time: 7.45 p.m. BST/2.45 p.m. ET
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
TV Info: BT Sport (UK only) / ESPN3 (U.S. only)
Live Stream: BT Sport app or online (UK only) / Fox Soccer 2GO (U.S. Only)
Last 5 games
Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know it's been a poor start to the 2015-16 campaign for Chelsea. The Premier League champions have lost three of their opening five games, winning just once.
As for Maccabi Tel-Aviv, they have won two of their first three league games, drawing the other. They beat FC Basel on away goals to reach the Champions League group stages.
| August 8 | Chelsea 2-2 Swansea City |
| August 16 | Manchester City 3-0 Chelsea |
| August 23 | West Bromwich Albion 2-3 Chelsea |
| August 29 | Chelsea 1-2 Crystal Palace |
| September 12 | Everton 3-1 Chelsea |
| August 19 | FC Basel 2-2 Maccabi Tel-Aviv |
| August 22 | Maccabi Tel-Aviv 3-2 Bnei Sakhnin |
| August 25 | Maccabi Tel-Aviv 1-1 FC Basel |
| August 30 | H. Beer Sheva 0-1 Maccabi Tel-Aviv |
| September 12 | H. Kiryat Shmona 1-1 Maccabi Tel-Aviv |
Predicted lineups
Radamel Falcao and Thibaut Courtois will both miss this week's Champions league opener through injury. That means Asmir Begovic will continue in goal, while Loic Remy could lead the line with Diego Costa rested.
Mourinho has hinted at a few changes from the team that lost 3-1 to Everton on Saturday, so with Oscar back and needing game time, he may well start. Baba Rahman could be in line for his Chelsea debut, also.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Rahman; Mikel, Ramires; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Remy
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (4-2-3-1): Rajkovic; Sphungin, Ben Haim I, Tibi, Ben Harush; Alberman, Nosa; Ben Haim II, Mitrovic, Rikan; Zahavi
Players to watch
Loic Remy
Quite what the Frenchman has to do to get a game at Chelsea remains to be seen. But if he starts against Maccabi Tel-Aviv, he'll be wanting to make a point to his manager.
With the signing of Falcao this summer, Remy has been reduced to a bench role all season. He hasn't played a single minute for Chelsea, despite impressing at times last term.
Remy scored some vital goals en route to Chelsea lifting the Premier League trophy, so it's a shame he isn't as highly regarded as perhaps he should be by Mourinho.
A starring role on Wednesday could well change that.
Tal Ben Haim
It's the easy option to pick out the former Chelsea man as one to watch, but given the Blues' vulnerability at the back this season he may well come away from the night with plenty more to remember.
He will be a threat from set-pieces and as we have seen too often on big European nights, clubs should always beware of the case of the ex-player.
Ben Haim will want to ensure he causes some damage against his former employers.
Prediction
Chelsea 2-0 Macabbi Tel-Aviv
Odds
Home win: 1/9
Away win: 12/1
Draw: 13/2
First goalscorer: Loic Remy (4/1)
*Home/Away win and draw odds via Odds Shark, goalscoring odds via OddsChecker.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
