Chelsea unsure on Diego Costa return

Manager Jose Mourinho is unsure when Diego Costa will be fit again for Chelsea – but sarcastically said he would play for Spain within a month.

Costa, 26, has scored nine goals in seven league games since his £32m move from Atletico Madrid, but missed the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace through injury.

Mourinho said: “He will be in great condition in mid-November to be back for the national team. That’s for sure.

“He will play for me when he has free time from the national team.”

Mourinho has previously expressed his concerns over Costa’s selection for Spain – claiming he was “doing almost nothing in training” between matches and would benefit from treatment rather than more games.

Costa, who has been regularly rested by Mourinho since his arrival in England because of a long-standing hamstring injury, scored his first goal for Spain in last weekend’s 4-0 win in Luxembourg.

He played 82 minutes of that match but arrived back in London injured, according to Mourinho.

He said: “After we beat Arsenal, Costa went to the national team, he played two big matches against Slovakia and Luxembourg, and he came back in conditions where he’s not available to play for his club.

“Our medical department will take great care of him and in mid-November he will be in perfect condition.”
Mourinho ruled Costa out of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Maribor and would not comment on the prospect of a return at Manchester United next Sunday.

In Costa’s absence, Loic Remy started at Selhurst Park, with veteran Didier Drogba coming off the bench.
Spain play Belarus in a Euro 2016 qualifier on 15 November before facing World Cup winners Germany in a friendly two days later.