Meanwhile, Mourinho claimed he and Diego Costa kissed and made up after their public bust-up in Israel.
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Maccabi toiled courageously after former Chelsea centre-back Tal Ben Haim was sent off five minutes before half-time but the 10-man hosts were eventually overwhelmed on Tuesday.
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.
“At half-time in the dressing room a few kisses and a few cuddles”.
The Spain worldwide completed the match, but Eden Hazard did not, substituted as Mourinho sought fresh legs with which to attack Maccabi.
“I think he is a really big doubt”. “The control inside, to have a situation to shoot”, said Mourinho, who nonetheless suggested Zahavi would need to aim a little lower than the champions.
“I know – and also Chelsea – we know that sometimes you win when you are not the favourites”, he told reporters. “I know if we lose we go to Europa League”. With a draw, I don’t know. “My medical department is really good and John is a professional guy with a special desire to recover but to leave the pitch with the result 1-0, I don’t believe too much that he can play at Tottenham on Sunday”.
Mourinho was happy with the first-half display, but felt the scoreline flattered his side.
On first glance, the turf looked in decent condition, but was cutting up very badly even just a few minutes into the game; at one point, Mourinho himself walked out onto the pitch to replace a massive divot. “My players are confident, and are getting their confidence back and hopefully tonight we can do more”.
“We conceded 11 goals and scored only one”.
A truer test of their resurgence will come at White Hart Lane, though, where Chelsea lost 5-3 on New Year’s Day. I remember the first two matches he played for us in pre-season in 2014.
Mourinho said: “Every time I have a view I am in trouble, so I don’t have a view”.
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“Sometimes young players can argue that the chances were not too many for them”.
