Chelsea go in search of a first home win of the season at the third attempt when Jose Mourinho's side open their Champions League Group G campaign against Maccabi Tel-Aviv on Wednesday night.
The Premier League champions, who lost to Crystal Palace after a draw with Swansea in their two Stamford Bridge contests to date, face the Israeli double winners seeking a strong start in a group which includes Mourinho's former club Porto and Dynamo Kiev.
Chelsea would usually be expected to brush aside a team managed by their former midfielder Slavisa Jokanovic, but Maccabi Tel-Aviv advanced to the group stages at the expense of Basle, the Swiss side who in 2013/14 twice beat the Blues.
Jokanovic also guided Watford into the Premier League last term.
Chelsea's stuttering start to the domestic season could receive a much-needed fillip with victory over Maccabi Tel-Aviv, who include former Blues defender Tal Ben Haim in their ranks.
The sides have never met competitively and Chelsea's only experience of Israeli opposition – in 2001/02 against Hapoel Tel-Aviv in the UEFA Cup – ended in defeat.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv lost twice to Stoke in the 2011/12 Europa League in their only contests with an English side and are in Europe's elite club competition for the first time in 11 seasons.
Attacking midfielder Eran Zahavi scored seven goals in the qualifying rounds and could be one to watch.
Chelsea exited the tournament to Paris St Germain at the first knockout stage last term and are keen to go further this season, although the priority will be to ensure at least a top-four finish in the Premier League and qualification for next season's competition.
Mourinho has not selected Papy Djilabodji, the Senegal defender signed from Nantes, in his Champions League squad in order to give exposure to promising attackers Bertrand Traore and Kenedy.
The Portuguese says he has plenty of central defensive cover, with Branislav Ivanovic among those able to operate there if needed as a fourth option.
“If he's in the Champions League squad Traore or Kenedy are not on the list,” Mourinho said.
“If Traore and Kenedy are not on the list in this moment you ask me why Traore and Kenedy are not on the list.
“Champions League can be a fantastic opportunity if they can play some minutes.
“We made that decision and because the group phase is six matches and we need to be very unlucky if in these six matches we need Djilabodji in the team, when we have John (Terry), (Gary) Cahill, (Kurt) Zouma and eventually Ivanovic.
“One thing is a short competition with six matches like Champions League, another thing is a domestic season with the Premier League and two cups.”
