Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has revealed he intends to risk Diego Costa’s fitness by starting the striker in upcoming games against Sporting Lisbon and Arsenal.
The Spaniard has enjoyed a prolific start to his Blues career and is the Premier League’s top scorer with eight goals in only six games for the side.
But his ongoing hamstring injuries are a concern for Mourinho, who has previously said Costa needs complete rest in order to fully recover from his niggling problem.
Nevertheless, after drawing 1-1 in their Champions League opener against Schalke when Costa started on the bench, the Chelsea boss has admitted he needs the striker’s prowess in the box for a run of crucial matches.
“Diego starts,” said Mourinho, who was speaking on the eve of the Group G clash with Sporting at Estadio Jose Alvalade.
“There is a risk, yes, but he plays. We assume the risk and he plays. Hopefully everything goes well and hopefully from Tuesday till Sunday he has enough period of time to be back again on track and to play against Arsenal [in the Premier League].
“It’s an important game for us tomorrow, a difficult game and if I can play my best players and the team I think is the best team to try to get the best result, I’m not going to make any change.
“I don’t rest people. I make decisions. I don’t think about Arsenal – I think about Sporting and I’m going to start with the team that I think is the best team.
“Diego is playing with us every match in the Premier League, the team has worked with him a lot of times. So the team at this moment is more made to play with Diego.”
Mourinho does not expect Spain to respect his wish not to call up Costa for national service, which he believes will only add to the forward’s injury woes.
The Portuguese said: “I have the feeling that next week he goes to the national team. I have the feeling that in the national team they will not consider the fact that he is in trouble so tomorrow he plays and hopefully he plays Sunday again against Arsenal.
“But in this moment I don’t think about Arsenal – I think about Sporting. And Diego starts tomorrow.”
Loic Remy is the only like-for-like replacement for Costa in Chelsea’s 20-man squad after Didier Drogba aggravated an ankle problem in training, and did not travel.
“Drogba’s going to be out for a couple of weeks,” Mourinho added.
“He had a problem in a training session in the ankle. Not possible to travel [to Lisbon] and I think not possible to recover for Sunday.
“Remy’s learning how to play with us,” the Blues boss added. “His movement is good, his pace is good, he can get behind defenders. He’s not bad in the air.
“I think he has some similarities with Diego and if he has to play, no problem.”
Source: TalkSport
Vote Big Eye Ug as Uganda’s most Social, Informative & Entertainment Site in the Rising Star Awards. Just log onto
OR SMS RSA80 to 8888. Thank you.
