Chelsea wary of Maribor threat
21 Oct 2014 10:30 PM GMT
Jose Mourinho has already seen his side slip up at home in Group G with Klaas Jan Huntelaar punishing the Blues for failing to make more of a number of chances by scoring Schalke’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw in the opening game of their latest European campaign.
Chelsea recovered from that disappointment with victory over Sporting in Lisbon. But with Maribor having held both Schalke and Sporting, Blues manager Mourinho will resist any temptation to make wholesale changes for the clash.
Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace ensured Chelsea will return to European action having maintained their unbeaten start and five-point advantage in the Premier League.
‘For Tuesday I cannot make lots of changes because I cannot break the balance of the team. I can make a couple of changes. But I don’t think I’m going to have any of the injured players back. I don’t think Ramires will be available, Andre Schurrle, Diego Costa for sure is not available,’ said Mourinho.
The Portuguese boss added: ‘I don’t have a lot to change. But I’m going to make a couple of changes. It’s an important match for us to win to finish the first three matches with seven points.’ Nemanja Matic, the match-winner against Sporting, is in no doubt of the threat posed by a Maribor side that, on paper at least, should be regarded as the weakest team in the group.
‘Nobody expected Maribor to take points off Sporting and Schalke, but they did and showed that in football there are no favourites. So until the end I expect hard work. But I hope we will win every game and we will make it to the next round,’ the Serbia midfielder said.
Mourinho claimed the victory over Palace provided the latest demonstration of how his side has evolved from last season when they dropped out of the Premier League title race in the final stages and were beaten in the Champions League semi-final by Atletico Madrid.
The arrival of Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona has been one of the factors behind Chelsea’s progress and the Spain midfielder capped an impressive start at his new club by scoring his first Premier League goal for the Blues at Palace.
Chelsea recovered from that disappointment with victory over Sporting in Lisbon. But with Maribor having held both Schalke and Sporting, Blues manager Mourinho will resist any temptation to make wholesale changes for the clash.
Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace ensured Chelsea will return to European action having maintained their unbeaten start and five-point advantage in the Premier League.
‘For Tuesday I cannot make lots of changes because I cannot break the balance of the team. I can make a couple of changes. But I don’t think I’m going to have any of the injured players back. I don’t think Ramires will be available, Andre Schurrle, Diego Costa for sure is not available,’ said Mourinho.
The Portuguese boss added: ‘I don’t have a lot to change. But I’m going to make a couple of changes. It’s an important match for us to win to finish the first three matches with seven points.’ Nemanja Matic, the match-winner against Sporting, is in no doubt of the threat posed by a Maribor side that, on paper at least, should be regarded as the weakest team in the group.
‘Nobody expected Maribor to take points off Sporting and Schalke, but they did and showed that in football there are no favourites. So until the end I expect hard work. But I hope we will win every game and we will make it to the next round,’ the Serbia midfielder said.
Mourinho claimed the victory over Palace provided the latest demonstration of how his side has evolved from last season when they dropped out of the Premier League title race in the final stages and were beaten in the Champions League semi-final by Atletico Madrid.
The arrival of Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona has been one of the factors behind Chelsea’s progress and the Spain midfielder capped an impressive start at his new club by scoring his first Premier League goal for the Blues at Palace.
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