Diego Costa to miss Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Maribor; ...José Mourinho hits out at Spain

Diego Costa will miss Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Maribor at Stamford Bridge due to his ongoing hamstring problem.

Costa, has been battling persistent hamstring problems this season, sat out Saturday’s Premier League win over Crystal Palace on Saturday after returning from international duty with a slight problem.

He was absent for the first 15 minutes of Chelsea’s open training session on Monday, and in his pre-match press conference, manager Jose Mourinho confirmed that he would play no part against Maribor.

“It’s the same problem that he’s been having. He cannot play tomorrow but I don’t have any idea how long he will be out for,” Mourinho said.

Andre Schurrle and Ramires will also miss out, but Mourinho insists he is only looking ahead to the game against Maribor and not the weekend’s clash with Manchester United.

“I won’t rest players. I don’t have Manchester United in mind, I have Maribor in mind,” he stated.

Meanwhile, José Mourinho has spoken of his simmering discontent over uncommunicative national team managers concerning the treatment of Chelsea players in the continued absence of the striker Diego Costa.

Mourinho believes it was exacerbated by playing against Slovakia and Luxembourg during the international break and took a swipe at the Spain manager, 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.


Credit: Michelle/SetantaSport/GuardianSport