Chelsea vs Maribor preview - Costa sidelined for Chelsea

Striker Diego Costa is out of Chelsea's Champions League Group G clash at home to Maribor on Tuesday night with a hamstring problem, presenting a chance for Didier Drogba or Loic Remy.

Midfielder John Obi Mikel (foot) will also miss out, while midfielder Ramires (groin) and forward Andre Schurrle (illness) have been ruled out by manager Jose Mourinho despite training on Monday.

Full-back Cesar Azpilicueta is available despite his domestic three-match suspension for his dismissal at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has spoken of his simmering discontent over uncommunicative national team managers over the treatment of his players.

Mourinho believes Costa's lingering hamstring problem was exacerbated by playing against Slovakia and Luxembourg during the international break this month and took a swipe at Spain boss Vicente del Bosque.

"It's the same problem that he's having, but now an injury, not an almost injury," said Mourinho, who is uncertain when Costa will return.

"It's simple. He's not training because he's not in condition to do it.

"Tomorrow he cannot play. Let's see what happens for next weekend, but next weekend is not important.

"I don't have Manchester United (on Sunday in the Premier League) in mind. I have Maribor in mind."

Costa has scored nine goals in seven Premier League games, but was absent for Saturday's win at Crystal Palace.

He added: "Sometimes you have national coaches and medical departments that want to establish a relationship and they are interested in the players, their physical condition, their habits.

"Some others they simply don't care. This is not something we can resolve.

"In this moment, since the beginning of the season, I think from all the national teams, I think (I have received) one phone call from Roy (Hodgson, the England boss)."

Drogba has shaken off an ankle problem and could feature, although not for 90 minutes, with the Ivory Coast striker vying with Remy for the starting spot up front in place of Costa.

Mourinho recently spoke of his team being built with Costa as the attacking focal point and refused to discuss adjustments with a different striker in place.

"Drogba, Remy and Diego are different," Mourinho said.

"You speak about Diego, I don't speak about Diego. I say to my players: 'I don't want to speak about injured players'.

"When somebody is injured I always look at it as an opportunity for another player. When he's not here, he's not here."

Maribor have drawn with Sporting Lisbon and Schalke in their opening two matches - Chelsea won in Portugal last time out, having opened with a home draw against the Germans - and Mourinho is not underestimating a team which reached the group stages at Celtic's expense.

"The results tell you a lot," Mourinho said.

"The results away from home have been very impressive. I think they are a difficult team.

"We worked today studying them and I'm happy because my players now have the feeling that they are a difficult opponent."