Home Premier League Arsenal Mourinho to risk Diego Costa despite hamstring worries

Mourinho to risk Diego Costa despite hamstring worries

0
0

Jose Mourinho believes complete rest is needed for Diego Costa, in order to recover from a niggling hamstring problem. However, he believes Spain will ignore this fact and draft in Costa to play against Slovakia and Luxembourg next month.

Costa has scored eight goals in six Premier League up to now, but was only a substitute in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Shalke in the Champions League opener – a result which suggests the reliance of the Blues on their new star striker.

On the eve of Chelsea’s Group G match with Sporting Lisbon, Mourinho announced: ‘Diego starts. 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 teamI 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.’

 

The Portuguese tactician has recently gone public, saying he doesn’t want Costa, a ÂŁ32million Summer signing to play in upcoming internationals, however he believes Spain will ignore his wishes.

Mourinho went on to say: ‘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.’

So despite Costa’s ongoing problem, and an injury to Diego Drogba, Mourinho appears to value the Spanish hitman so highly, Loic Remy may have to sit out these games on the bench.

‘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.’

 

Written by Michael Horne

Follow me on Twitter for more articles @MichaelHorne777

 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here