Speaking ahead of the game with Bournemouth on Saturday evening, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he doesn’t understand why there is speculation over the future Diego Costa, but he refused to state whether he would start or not against the Cherries.
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Asked if he put limits on alcohol consumption, Mourinho said: “I didn’t get these tubes that the police have (breathalysers)”. Realising the extent of the tension within the squad around the end of October, the Portuguese purposely sought meetings with some senior players to calmly hear them out and talk things through.
The one caveat in all of this has been the usual controversy around Diego Costa. A week where everything was calm and they could train and rest, no accumulation of matches.
“They consult me about the best time to do it and I said a time from Christmas which is busy”. So they chose this week.
Asked if the management team would have a night out, Mourinho added: “I’m exhausted of them”. And the training session was very good for everyone.
“I think they needed it, yes. So everyone is happy”.
But the Chelsea boss, who knows Valencia’s owner Peter Lim and his business partner, Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes, insists he has no intention of leaving Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho has been without his first-choice custodian since the 23 year old suffered a knee injury playing for Belgium at the start of September.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 43 home league games against newly-promoted teams (W37 D6), last losing to top-flight new-boys in April 2001 (0-1 v Charlton). His return would relegate Asmir Begovic to the bench.
“Courtois is selected (in the squad)”, Mourinho said.
“He was our goalkeeper all last season and we know how fundamental he was for us so it’s very important we have him back”. Even written feedback because we analysed his performance in great detail, and I thought it was good for him to get it in a written document with graphics on every aspect.
“If we missed Courtois for a couple of matches, we knew we had good protection in a good goalkeeper (like Begovic)”.
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“To lose your number one for three months, something like 19 matches without the best goalkeeper in the world, is tough for us”.
