Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at Graeme Le Saux by claiming that none of his players are reluctant to travel to Israel for Tuesday's Champions League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Following the terrorist attacks in Paris almost a fortnight ago, the authorities have been on high alert, but Mourinho has claimed that all of his players are dedicated to this match.
Fourteen years ago, six Chelsea members, including Le Saux, decided against travelling to Israel as the game against Hapoel Tel Aviv in the UEFA Cup was just a month after the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York.
On the eve of that match, Israeli cabinet minister Rehavam Zeevi was shot dead, but UEFA told Chelsea that they needed to play the fixture.
In reference to this week's European match in Haifa, Mourinho told reporters: "I think the best way is to focus on football and the happiness you have to play football, the responsibility you have to play football.
"Leave security questions to people who know more than we do, and people who can do things we can't do. We just focus on playing. I didn't have a single problem within the squad. I didn't have a Graeme Le Saux. I had everybody without fears, just wanting to come.
"I had even a player, maybe, whose wife is going to have a baby either tomorrow or the next day but he's here, focusing on what he can do for us. So we're here focusing on getting a result. We need that for our happiness, our pride, and the people who support us."
Chelsea can reach the knockout rounds of the tournament if they beat Maccabi and Porto stop Dynamo Kiev from winning in Portugal.
Danielle Joynson
