Jose Mourinho’s side will qualify for the knockout rounds of the Champions League if they beat Maccabi Tel Aviv on Tuesday and Dynamo Kiev fail to overcome Porto. The Israeli club have no chance of reaching the next phase of the elite European tournament, and with all due respect, they were unlikely to be challenging for honors in the first place.
Eran Zahavi managed to nab seven goals in the qualifying rounds, but in the group phase he has only scored one, which was in a 3-1 defeat to Porto earlier this month.
Zahavi’s goal is the only one to have hit the back of the net for Maccabi during the group stage as they have been convincingly beaten by Chelsea, Dynamo Kiev and Porto twice.
On the pitch, Maccabi were given a lesson by Chelsea in their opening group game as the Blues claimed a 4-0 victory at Stamford Bridge, with goals from Willian, Oscar, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas.
So far, it has been a season to forget for Chelsea where the Premier League is concerned, but following Saturday’s 1-0 win over Norwich City, perhaps fortunes are changing for the boys in blue.
Mourinho’s side have been a shadow of the team that stormed to the English title last season as they are currently 14 points off top spot and 12 adrift of a Champions League qualification spot.
While qualification for the knockout rounds is in sight, the Blues did slip up against Porto in September and were held to a goalless draw by Dynamo in October.
Chelsea have, though, managed to see off Dynamo on home turf and claim a convincing 4-0 rout over Maccabi, whom they face this week.
Match facts
- This will be the second meeting between the sides in Europe, with Chelsea winning the reverse fixture 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.
- The Blues have won just two of their last 10 away games in the Champions League (D5 L3), scoring more than one goal just once in that run.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv have won just one of their 10 Champions League matches, finding the net in just four of those games.
- Tel Aviv are facing English opposition in Europe for just the fourth time overall, they have scored just one goal and conceded nine in the previous three games.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv have scored the joint fewest goals in the Champions League this season (1) and conceded the joint most (11).
- Maccabi Tel Aviv are one of four teams yet to win a game in this season’s Champions League group stages, alongside Astana, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Lyon.
- Just four of Chelsea’s last 13 Champions League goals have come from open play.
- The West London club recorded five shots on target when they hosted Maccabi Tel Aviv earlier this season, scoring with four of them.
Head to head
There is not a vast history of results between these two sides as they have only met once, and that was in September when Chelsea gained a 4-0 victory to kickoff their Champions League group campaign.
As mentioned, Willian, Oscar, Costa and Fabregas were among the scorers as Maccabi failed to get on the scoresheet at Stamford Bridge.
Team news
Chelsea will arrive in Israel with no fresh injury concerns as Radamel Falcao and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois are the only players to have not traveled with the squad.
Hazard could be slotted in at number 10 after he showed glimpses of what earned him the Player of the Year nod last season, with Costa leading the line. Willian and Pedro could also provide attacking flair on the flanks, while Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas marshall the middle of the park.
John Terry, who had to fight for his place at the beginning of the season, is expected to captain the side in a center-back partnership with Kurt Zouma, while Asmir Begovic should resume in goal during Courtois’s absence.
For the hosts, Zahavi, fresh from scoring his 100th league goal at the weekend, is expected to be part of the attacking force, while Tal Ben Haim, who spent a year at Chelsea between 2007 and 2008, is likely to be included in Maccabi’s back four.
Possible Line-ups
Maccabi Tel Aviv: Rajkovic; Shpungin, Ben-Haim, Tibi, Ben-Harush; Alberman, Mitrovic, Igiebor; Ben-Haim II, Zahavi (c), Rikan.
Subs: Lifshitz, Carlos Garcia, Vermouth, Peretz, Itzhaki, Miha, Radonjic.
Chelsea: Begovic; Azpilicueta, Cahill (c), Zouma, Baba; Loftus-Cheek, Fabregas; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Remy.
Subs: Blackman, Ivanovic, Terry , Matic, Ramires, Traore, Diego Costa.
