Jose Mourinho has threatened to field a weakened team for the visit to Liverpool after criticising the Premier League for not shifting the match to a Saturday. The match will be on Sunday evening, which is Chelsea just two days of recovery time before the second leg of the Champions League semi-final with Atletico Madrid. The blues managed a 0-0 draw from the first leg and everything now rests upon the second leg.
The suspensions to Frank Lampard and John obi Mikel (for the Atletico Madrid match) coupled with injuries to Petr Cech and John Terry means that the Chelsea squad will be stretched. It is understandable that Mourinho wants his ‘small squad’ to have maximum recovery time.
His decision to publicly announce his plans of a weakened team is likely to attract a lot of criticism and talking points prior to the match. Mourinho said:
“I would play the players that are not going to play next Wednesday [against Atletico Madrid]. I can’t decide by myself. I’m just the manager. I have to listen to the club.
“When the Premier League decide to put that Liverpool game on Sunday, when Liverpool refuse to play on a Saturday, it is a decision I have to make with the club, if the club wants to go with everything in direction of the Champions League I am ready for that.”
The Dates:
Sunday, 27th: Liverpool vs Chelsea
Wednesday, 30th: Chelsea vs Atletico Madrid
After the Sunderland defeat on Saturday, Liverpool opened a five point lead in the table with three matches remaining. At this stage, it makes a lot of sense to focus on the Champions League.
After all, the Premier League doesn’t try to help English clubs so Mourinho is trying to prioritise for the benefit of the club.
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Typical Moanrinho, things don’t go his way so he starts to cry, picks and the ball and runs home like a small child that’s losing a football match!
You suck…. it is jus a real situation and in EPL managers got the right to request for games to be rescheduled if they are involved in international games the are a priority. By the way those guys are not machines man …think abt it
Come on Real, lets make it a ‘special’ final against the matress makers! Chelsea were awful to watch last night, so sure Altletico will score at the bridge when Chelsea are forced to attack, rather than play the long ball…
At least one Chelsea player has a chance of winning the title this season!!!
A great effort from the lad last night, managed to injury both Cech and Terry! 🙂 Pushed the player into Cech, and then kindly put his foot under Terry’s to do the damage, great effort #sideshowbob!
Excellent game, manages to take out both Terry and Cech in same game for rest of the season! 🙂
Fearing the worse, think Liverpool will batter us if we play a 2nd string 11. Would rather they won the league than city though, they have played some excellent football this season..
Strategy is the best way to plan big games…and MO is just good at that….Do your thing Mo