A convincing 4-0 win for Chelsea over Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel on Tuesday night was overshadowed by an injury to John Terry and a blazing row between Jose Mourinho and striker Diego Costa.
The result leaves Chelsea needing just a point against Porto in two weeks' time at Stamford Bridge to progress to the knockout stages, and victory would send them through as group winners.
However, it appears that all is not well between Mourinho and his main centre forward after their row in the first half of the match in Israel.
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Mourinho lost his temper with the Spanish forward after he failed to get into the six yard box as Eden Hazard sent in a cross. It was not the first time he has berated the striker for such an offence this season, notes the Daily Telegraph, but this time Costa took umbrage, and gave the manager as good as he got.
"Costa refused the attempts of Oscar to calm him down, but reappeared after the break and played the entire second half," says the Telegraph. "It was noticeable that Costa stood by the touchline just before the final whistle was blown and then headed straight down the tunnel without acknowledging Mourinho or shaking hands with his team-mates or his opponents."
Mourinho was keen to play down the incident and told reporters afterwards that the difference of opinion had been settled "at half-time in the dressing room [when] there were a few kisses and a few cuddles".
But it is Costa who holds the upper hand, says Tony Cascarino in The Times, as Mourinho cannot afford to lose him, despite rumours that he will offload the Spaniard in January.
He believes "Mourinho will stick with Costa no matter how few goals he scores this season", and adds: "The day Costa leaves Chelsea will be the day that Mourinho leaves the club.
"Didier Drogba could leave Stamford Bridge and so could Romelu Lukaku because, in Costa, Mourinho had a beast of a striker, but the present lack of alternatives up front is worrying."
Another concern for Chelsea was the departure of Terry on a stretcher after he was undone by the dire state of the pitch. He twisted his ankle in the turf and is a doubt for Sunday's clash with Spurs, reports the BBC.
