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November 24, 2015


Chelsea At Ease in Haifa  (Sky Sports)

Chelsea players in Haifa strollJose 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."



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