Sporting Lisbon vs Chelsea preview - I won't rest Costa - Mourinho - 7M sport

Sporting Lisbon vs Chelsea preview - I won't rest Costa - Mourinho



Posted Tuesday, September 30, 2014 by PA

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho intends to risk Diego Costa's fragile hamstrings by starting the striker against Sporting Lisbon and Arsenal this week.

Mourinho anticipates Spain will call upon the B£32million summer signing from Atletico Madrid for their matches with Slovakia and Luxembourg next month, despite his belief that complete rest is needed to enable the forward to recover fully from his niggling problem.

Costa has scored eight goals in six Barclays Premier League games and was only a substitute in Chelsea's opening 1-1 draw at home to Schalke - a result which indicated the reliance of the Blues on their new star striker.

"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."

Mourinho does not expect Spain to respect his wish not to call up Costa for national service.

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.

"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."

Chelsea are set up to play with Costa as the attacking figurehead.

Mourinho said: "The team had a pre-season with him. The team worked with him a lot of times.

"He's playing with us every match in the Premier League. So the team at this moment is more made to play with Diego."

Remy has different attributes, but has Mourinho's confidence.

"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."

Mourinho, who worked at Sporting as assistant to coach Sir Bobby Robson for one-and-a-half seasons between 1992 and 1993, was charming to his hosts.

He spoke in Portuguese - last season at Atletico Madrid, the fluent Spanish speaker spoke only in English - and recalled fondly his time at the club.

"It was a fantastic time until the moment they sacked Mr Robson," Mourinho said.

Mourinho can expect to feel welcome on Tuesday night when he plays Portuguese opposition for the first time since twice going to Porto during his first spell at Chelsea, the most recent encounters coming in February and March 2007.

Chelsea have lost once in nine matches against Portuguese opposition - on Mourinho's first return to Porto in 2004 when the Blues were already through in the group - but must end Sporting's 16-match unbeaten European home run to record a first win in Group G.

Sporting drew with Porto on Friday night, but Mourinho expects his hosts to play to win against the Blues and dismissed the favourites' tag.

"I don't know the meaning of favourite in a football match," Mourinho added. "We will try to win, but to want, to desire and to achieve are two distinct things.

"If they stick to their identity it will be a great match and a great return of Sporting to the Champions League (at home for the first time since 2009)."

Sporting Lisbon coach Marco Silva believes Nani is in the best place he could be after his return "home" on loan from Manchester United.

The Portugal international is in line to play on Tuesday night after United appeared to lose patience with the enigmatic forward.

"He came home," the Sporting boss said.

"Sporting was his previous club. He knows his team-mates. This is the best choice he could've made."

Asked about needing to rebuild Nani's shattered confidence, Silva said: "The confidence of the team is growing collectively. That is what we must focus on."

Sporting drew at Maribor in their first pool game, denied a win which would have seen them take top spot in the standings by a last-gasp equaliser.

Mourinho's Chelsea are favourites to advance at the top of the group, despite opening with a 1-1 draw against German side Schalke, but Silva hopes his side can upset the Blues.

"They're a great challenge, but with the right attitude and the right commitment we'll be able to overcome the obstacles and maybe even gain some points," he added.



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