- Eden Hazard will start for Chelsea against Stoke City on Saturday
- Belgium midfielder is 'tired' following the international break
- Diego Costa has recovered from hamstring injury, confirms Mourinho
- But the Blues top scorer may not be ready to start Premier League clash
- Still a four-horse race for the title, according to the Chelsea manager
Jose Mourinho has declared that he doesn't care where Chelsea win the Premier League, so long as they end up claiming the title.
The
Blues lead the table by six points, with a game in hand, and face Stoke
City at home on Saturday in the first of their final nine games of the
season.
'I
dont care if it is in the hotel or away or at home, I just want to win
it,' said Mourinho, as Chelsea trained at Cobham on Friday.
Jose Mourinho was speaking at Chelsea's press conference ahead of their Premier League clash
Eden Hazard will start for Chelsea against Stoke City on Saturday following a tiring international break
Mourinho (right) watches as his players Filipe Luis (left) and Nemanja Matic train
'In
any occasion I think the club who wins it gets the trophy in our last
match at home, and our last game of the season is at home (to
Sunderland).
'So
if we win the title we get the trophy at our house. But I don't care,
even if somebody loses the trophy and we don't get it I am happy with
that. I just want to win it.'
Mourinho will start Eden Hazard against Stoke on Saturday despite the player suggesting he is tired.
The Belgian said earlier this week he is feeling weary as the season reaches its climax.
But
the Chelsea manager, who also confirmed Diego Costa has recovered from a
hamstring injury, will not take his wing wizard out of the firing line
against the Potters. Hazard started both of Belgium's Euro 2016
qualifiers during the international break.
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois gets down to his left to make a save in training
Juan Cuadrado (left) battles team-mate Cesar Azpilicueta (centre) for the ball
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas attempts a pass under pressure from team-mate Ramires
'Hazard
is tired because he played two matches in three days,' said Mourinho.
'He travelled and didn't sleep because he arrived in Belgium at 5 or 6
in the morning after playing in Israel. We think he can recover in these
couple of days, but he plays tomorrow (Saturday).
'That's
football. That's what a season is like for a player who is important
for both his club and national team. I want to play him every time and
the coach of his country wants to play him every time.
'He
is a team player that plays with the ball, creates, dribbles and
players with lots of intensity so it is not a surprise that he can be a
bit tired. But I believe in him, the team and his ambition to play.
'And I believe in his desire to help the team reach their season objective, so I will start with him.'
Hazard (left) in action for Belgium against Israel during their Euro 2016 qualifying win on Tuesday
Hazard started both games for Belgium during the international break, but was subbed off in both
Spain
striker Costa missed the international break with injury, but could yet
feature against Stoke at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening after
training for the last couple of days.
However Mourinho refused to confirm whether his top scorer would start the game.
'Diego
trained on Thursday and Friday with the group,' continued Mourinho. 'He
is not injured but I don't know if I will start with him or not. I need
to analyse the situation with him and make a decision.'
'He
dedicated himself to getting fit on his days off, working hard in the
morning and afternoon. We can say that we did all the tests and scans to
confirm that scientifically at this moment the muscle is fine.
'But
in football you need the confidence to know you are free to express
maximum intensity, and that's our doubt. So we'll see in the next 24
hours then decide.'
Chelsea's Willian (second left), Matic (second right) and Luis (right) train on Friday
Diego Costa (centre) is back in training but could not be fit enough to start against Stoke
Costa vies for the ball with fellow Chelsea striker Didier Drogba (left) at Cobham
Louis van Gaal's Manchester United still have a chance of winning the league, according to Mourinho
Although
they sit six points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand
on all their nearest rivals, Mourinho still believes that there is still
a four-horse race for the title this season.
'Look
at the points difference,' he said. 'You have to say four (teams) now.
Not five, because there's a gap from fourth to fifth and, with eight
matches to go, that's a difficult gap from first to fifth.
'But the points difference between second, third and fourth makes me think and feel that they are there.'
He
added: 'We need six victories and one draw from nine matches. It is a
good situation for us, and one all the other clubs would like to have.
But it's pure mathematics. We need to win six matches and draw one. We
need to do that, and we haven't done it yet.'
And
despite Manchester United's inconsistency this season, Mourinho still
believes Louis van Gaal's side are still in with a shot at the title.
'The
number of the points is the number of points,' Mourinho added. 'They
are there. The points are there. In the last few matches they've become
consistent in results and the quality of their performances. They are
there.'
Tags
SOCCER