Oscar is expected to return for Chelsea’s Champions League opener against Maccabi Tel Aviv tonight.
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The Brazilian international midfielder has not played since the 2-2 draw with Swansea City on the opening day of the Premier League season because of a knee injury, according to BBC Sport.
The 24-year-old first announced himself to Blues fans in this competition, scoring his maiden goals for the club in a 2-2 draw with Juventus in 2012, including this stunning 25-yard curler.
Jose Mourinho will hope that Oscar’s return to the side will help the off-colour Premier League champions pick up a much-needed win after successive defeats to Crystal Palace and Everton.
Of the playmaker’s 31 goals and 31 assists in his 154 Chelsea appearances, six and seven respectively have come in the Champions League, although he managed none of either in last season’s edition.
Radamel Falcao will not feature at Stamford Bridge due to a minor injury, as BBC Sport reports, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is out with the knee problem that could sideline him for three months.
Asmir Begovic will make his Champions League bow deputising for the Belgian, while there could also be a debut for summer signing Baba Rahman and a start for teenage midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Maccabi’s visit to West London arguably represents the easiest tie of Chelsea’s Group G campaign, and a great opportunity to rediscover their form after their worst start to a top-flight season in 29 years.
Mourinho’s former club Porto, with whom he lifted the trophy in 2004 prior to taking charge of the Blues, visit Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kiev in this evening’s other offering from Group G.
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