Diego Costa will start for Chelsea against Aston Villa on Saturday with Jose Mourinho conceding to the fact that Chelsea are helpless to prevent the player from being called up by his country for next month’s qualifiers despite his recent hamstring problems.
Costa is currently unable to play twice in four days after consistently suffering discomfort in his left hamstring. The injury came in a friendly against France earlier this month to him out in the second of Spain’s matches, a qualifier against Macedonia and requires a period of rest to heal properly.
Unless Costa suffers an injury in Chelsea’s next three games (Villa, Sporting Lisbon and Arsenal), the player is poised for another call up for Spain’s game in Slovakia and Luxembourg on the 9th and 12th of October.
“I’m nobody to make that decision,” said Mourinho when asked if he would hope to persuade Spain against calling up the Brazil-born forward when they announce their squad next week.
“Everything is clear. Everybody knows what is going on with Diego. Everyone knows he’s been in trouble for quite a long time. But the moment a national team wants to select a Chelsea player, I’m nobody. It’s their decision.
“They can call up the players, play them, do what they want. It’s completely out of my control. What I think and what I feel doesn’t play a part. We can communicate [with the federation], send exams and reports, but it’s their decision in the end. After the game against Arsenal, or even before that when they make the pre-selection, everything is in their hands. I can do nothing.”
Costa was rested in Chelsea’s midweek game against Bolton Wanderers but he is sure to start against third-placed Villa at Stamford Bridge.
“He plays tomorrow and starts the game without problems,” added Mourinho, who will be without Ramires until after the international break after the midfielder suffered a groin injury. “The question is always the same: can he finish the game and be in condition to play in Lisbon 48 hours later? That I don’t know.
“Everyone is working hard to help Diego. He is the first to do that, too. He’s working hard in his recovery, with the medical staff and the conditioning staff, trying to be ready for every game. Mentally, he’s ready for every game. Physically he’s not. Everyone is trying hard for him to be able to play every game.”
“But, at this moment, because I don’t think about Sporting or the Champions League, I think about Villa in the Premier League and he plays for sure. He’s in a good position to start. If he doesn’t play against Sporting, I play [Didier] Drogba or [Loïc] Rémy. But that’s another game, another story. I play tomorrow with the team I think is the best to win against Villa. After that, I will face the consequences.”
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