Champions League: Chelsea stunned by Basel at Stamford Bridge

Sep 19, 2013
Champions League: Chelsea stunned by Basel at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says he was happy with his attacking options after taking full responsibility for his team's shocking Champions League 2-1 defeat by Basel. New signing Samuel Eto'o was in the starting eleven while Demba Ba came in as a second-half substitute. Fernando Torres failed to make the bench and midfielder Oscar scored the only Chelsea goal. "When we lose I don't speak about the players or individuals. I speak about my responsibility," said Mourinho. "I'm happy with the three strikers for the rest of the season." Cameroon striker Eto'o made his home debut after joining from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, but was unable to test Basel goalkeeper Yann Sommer until injury time. Ba was sent in before Basel's second goal while Torres was not named in the match squad. The three strikers have scored just one of the Blues' seven goals in their opening six matches, when Torres found the back of the net in the Uefa Super Cup defeat by Bayern Munich. "The players are good players and good professionals, and try their best every day and every match," added Mourinho. "The happy moment will arrive." Chelsea dominated possession but created few goals coring chances apart from Oscar's opener. The home side were punished by Basel when winger Mohamed Salah made it all square with a superb curling shot before captain Marco Streller headed home to hand the Swiss champions an unlikely win. Chelsea were unbeaten at home in 29 Champions League matches. "We lost three points that we must get somewhere," said Mourinho. "We must get them, in Basel, or Schalke, or Bucharest, or all of them or some of them. Normally you have to win the matches at home and get a few points away. Now we must win six points at home, Schalke and Steaua, but we have also to win points away. Probably we have to go to win at Basel to compensate for the defeat today. But the objective of finishing in the top two in the group phase and to go to the next stage of the Champions League is an objective that is not lost - far from it. It's an objective we're going to fight for and it's an objective that I believe very, very much that we're going to achieve." Until the next Champions League fixtures Chelsea will have to face Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, here are the odds at Bet365: Chelsea win - 2/7 Draw - 9/2 Fulham win - 10/1
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