London: The mystery over Diego Costa’s condition has deepened after it emerged that the Chelsea striker was forced to spend time in hospital after returning from international duty with Spain.
Costa is struggling with a groin injury, but has also been battling an illness that forced him to go to hospital.
Chelsea have not specified the illness and whether Costa is fully over it, but it is understood that the 26-year-old had symptoms similar to a severe stomach bug.
That he has two problems goes some way to explaining Jose Mourinho’s anger over the condition in which his leading goalscorer returned to the club last week. Costa has missed Chelsea’s past two games, against Crystal Palace and Maribor, and Mourinho claims that he does not expect him to be fit to face Manchester United on Sunday.
It is understood that Costa did not train on Wednesday. The players that faced Maribor on Tuesday were given the day off, but Costa would have been expected to train if fit in a bid to be ready to play some part against United.
Mourinho reluctantly stated that Costa had aggravated his hamstring problem, but it is believed that it is actually the striker’s groin causing him discomfort.
Chelsea should find out on Thursday whether Loic Remy stands any chance of making the trip to Old Trafford after he injured his groin against Maribor.
Mourinho claimed that Remy would be unlikely to face United, but the Frenchman offered a different view. “We will see with the scan,” Remy said.
“I really hope it is not too bad. Fortunately, I stopped playing because I felt something. My groin. It was before I scored, it was a bit stiff — even my run did not feel very comfortable. Yes it’s frustrating, but I am not afraid. I don’t think it is really bad. We will check and I really hope to play this weekend.”
If Costa and Remy are ruled out of the United clash, then the 36-year-old Didier Drogba will be Mourinho’s only fit senior striker. Drogba is still attempting to fully recover from the ankle injury that has troubled him since his return to Chelsea.
After scoring his first Chelsea goal on Tuesday since his Champions League-winning penalty in 2012, Drogba said: “It was a nice to score. I would have preferred to have play under different circumstances because we have an injured player and I hope he’s going to be fit for the weekend. But it was good to play 75 minutes.
“I need time because before signing I didn’t play for two or three months, then I had this injury, so I need more games.
“It’s up to the manager to decide who’s going to start against United, but if you were a player how would you feel if they say you can play at Old Trafford? You’ll be happy.”
Mourinho fielded Andre Schuerrle as a makeshift striker at Old Trafford last season and the German in expected to have recovered from illness and be fit to face United if required.
Meanwhile, Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia’s ascent to becoming the most powerful woman in world football is expected to continue after the club confirmed that Ron Gourlay is leaving his post as chief executive.
Gourlay is said to be giving up his role to pursue new business opportunities, leaving the way clear for Granovskaia to claim even more power inside Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea confirmed that Granovskaia, along with the chairman Bruce Buck, will take on additional executive responsibilities pending any additional appointments.
Sources close to Chelsea are convinced that Granovskaia will effectively be the club’s new chief executive, even if she does not take on the title. Granovskaia’s influence has been growing for some time and she played a bigger part than Gourlay in many of Chelsea’s transfers over the past few years.
A dual Russian and Canadian national, who has worked under Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich for 17 years, she was also instrumental in Mourinho’s return as manager.
Karren Brady, the West Ham United vice-chairman, is widely referred to as the first woman of football, but Granovskaia is comfortably the most powerful, as was underlined by the fact that she was made one of Chelsea’s four plc directors last year.
— The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2014
