
Jose
Mourinho’s Chelsea squad looked very relaxed on Tuesday as they enjoyed a
stroll on the morning of their Champions League game against Maccabi Tel
Aviv.
Chelsea last played in Israel in 2001 when six members of the squad - Marcel
Desailly, William Gallas, Graeme Le Saux, Albert Ferrer, Eidur Gudjohnsen
and Emmanuel Petit - decided not to travel to the country to play Hapoel Tel
Aviv.
Despite the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, Mourinho told journalists
during Monday's pre-match press conference Chelsea were not unduly worried
at the prospect of playing in the Middle East.
And the squad did not look fazed as they walked near to their team hotel in
Haifa, with Chelsea manager Mourinho even stopping for photographs with the
locals.
FA Inclusion and Advisory Board member Le Saux has recently voiced his
criticism of Mourinho's treatment of Doctor Eva Carneiro.
And the Portuguese could not resist referencing the ex-Chelsea full-back
when he was asked about the feeling within his squad ahead of Chelsea's
game.
"I don't have one single problem inside the squad. I don't have a Graeme Le
Saux. I have everybody without fears, just wanting to come," Mourinho said.
"I even have a player whose wife, maybe, is having a baby tomorrow or after
tomorrow, and he's here to play, because he knows how important it is for
us.
"The best way [to make sure we are not concerned about security] is to focus
on football and the happiness you have to play football, and to leave
security questions to people who know more than we do."