Jose
Mourinho has intimated that striker Diego Costa could miss Chelsea's next
Premier League fixture against Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on 4 April due
to a muscular problem.
Costa may now be forced to pull out of the Vicente del Bosque's Spain squad
for their forthcoming Euro 2016 qualifier at home to Ukraine and friendly in
Holland.
The 26-year-old has been plagued by hamstring and pelvic injuries since
joining from Atletico Madrid for £32million in the summer but that has not
stopped him scoring an impressive 20 goals in all-competitions this season.
Costa bagged an early goal in the Blues' 3-2 success at Hull City on Sunday
to help maintain the west Londoners' six-point lead at the top of the table.
However, the Brazil-born forward left the field at the KC Stadium in
discomfort, giving way for Loic Remy, which proved a precipitous change as
the Frenchman turned match-winner instantly.
"He has a muscular problem, there's no doubt about it" Mourinho told
Sky
Sports. "When the team needs goals and the striker comes off with 15
minutes to go it's because he feels it.
"He has already experience with the hamstrings and was clear that he had an
injury but if he cannot play the next game in 15 days against Stoke, we have
Remy and we have (Didier) Drogba - let's go."
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