Chelsea Blow As Injury To Key Player Is Confirmed

Chelsea have been dealt a blow after it was confirmed today that striker Diego Costa has suffered another hamstring injury and has been ruled out of Spain’s upcoming international games.

Costa suffered the injury during the second half of Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Hull on Sunday and Jose Mourinho admitted his concern over the strikers condition after the match at the KC Stadium.

The Blues were hoping for positive news as the 26-year-old linked up with his national squad yesterday but following assessments the Spanish FA have confirmed that Costa has suffered a grade 1 hamstring tear and will now be sent back to London for further treatment.

‘Diego Costa, left the premises of the Spanish Football Federation this morning after undergoing several tests with the medical services of the RFEF.

‘The striker has suffered a level 1 hamstring tear on the biceps femoris of the left thigh, which was previously already noted by the medical services of his club.’

‘Diego Costa will return to Chelsea FC where he will undergo the corresponding medical treatment.’

Costa will now miss Spain’s European Champions qualifier against Ukraine on Friday night as well as next Tuesday’s friendly against Holland, but Chelsea will now be sweating over how long the striker will be sidelined for.

Mourinho said after the Hull game that Costa has ‘fragility’ in his hamstring and works hard to compensate for the weakness, but admits that the injury can reoccur at any point.

‘When a striker is playing, the team needs a goal to win the game and with 15 minutes to go the striker, a guy with a lot of experience of hamstring injuries, says “it is over for me”, then it is over for him,’

‘He has this problem. He tried to play the Champions League final for Atletico (Madrid, last season) and was injured again and again and again. He has this fragility.

‘We know his hamstring is not a strong one. He works hard through the week to compensate the weakness he has there but the injury can come.’ Mourinho told reporters.

Chelsea entertain Stoke City at Stamford Bridge in just 11 days time so Costa is now in a race against time to be fit to face the Potters as the Blues look to take another step closer to reclaiming the Premier League title.

If he misses out, Mourinho is likely to hand Loic Remy a rare start up front after the Frenchman came off the bench to grab a vital winner against Hull at the weekend and the Portuguese coach admitted he should give Remy more playing time.