Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho refused to get carried away after his side's 4-0 UEFA Champions League win over Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The Premier League champion was in complete control throughout at Stamford Bridge on Thursday (AEST) as it began its European campaign in fine style.

Eden Hazard missed an early penalty, but Chelsea responded superbly, with Willian, Oscar, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas netting.

While Mourinho was pleased with the win, which came after a lean run of form in which Chelsea picked up four points from its opening five Premier League fixtures, he acknowledged that tougher tests lie ahead.

"I am happy with the result and the performance. The same way I was not in hell with bad results, I am not in heaven we won a game," Mourinho said. "It was a good victory, you could see from minute one we were going to win the game. 

"Missing the penalty was a good thing to test the team, we must be really strong to believe and the players have played very well, they showed a good attitude, good with the ball, it was a good victory.

"I know some experts will say Maccabi are not a top team, I agree, but they are a Champions League team and to beat a team you need to play well and we played well."

The only negative for Chelsea was an injury suffered by Willian, who limped off midway through the opening period with a hamstring complaint - with Mourinho confirming the Brazilian and Pedro would miss the weekend Premier League date with Arsenal.

"I have a lot of thinking always. I try to read the game before it starts, and I have a lot of thinking before Arsenal," Mourinho said.