Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0, Chelsea 4: Jose Mourinho and Diego Costa clash as Chelsea edge closer to place in Champions League knockout phase
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho admitted that he had a bust-up with pugnacious hitman Diego Costa at the end of the first half before his side edged closer to the Champions League knockout phase by dispatching 10-man Maccabi Tel-Aviv last night.
Defender Gary Cahill opened the scoring in the first half, which also saw former Chelsea centre-half Tal Ben Haim sent off, while the visitors eventually settled matters through a Willian free-kick and headers from Oscar and substitute Kurt Zouma.
Costa has failed to hit the heights of his debut season in English football last term when he netted 20 times across all competitions and Mourinho appeared to grow agitated by the Spaniard’s lack of movement in Haifa.
“I reacted. He did too. At half-time in the dressing room, a few kisses and a few cuddles. No problem,” said Mourinho, who also confirmed that skipper John Terry is a major doubt for Sunday’s Premier League clash at Tottenham after being carried off on a stretcher with an ankle injury.
Coupled with Porto’s home defeat to Dynamo Kiev, victory sent Chelsea to the summit of Group G which means a draw against the Portuguese outfit on 9 December will see Mourinho’s charges reach the round of 16.
“It was very important, especially with what happened in Porto,” added Mourinho, whose side ended a three-match Premier League losing streak with victory over Norwich at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. “We really needed to win this match, it was so important, two victories in a few days. I hope morale comes, tranquility comes, confidence comes.”
Chelsea struck first through Cahill, before strikes from Willian, Oscar and Zouma inside the final 20 minutes of the match turned the screw on their increasingly ragged hosts.