Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has admitted the club remain cautious over Diego Costa’s hamstring injury, revealing the striker’s niggle prevented him from starting the Blues’ Champions League opener against Schalke.
Mourinho’s men took an early lead at Stamford Bridge when Cesc Fabregas found the net for his first Chelsea goal, but the hosts were wasteful throughout, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar netting an equaliser after the break to clinch a 1-1 draw.
The Blues certainly missed Costa’s presence up front as Didier Drogba, who was handed his first start since his surprise return to the club this summer, missed a number of glaring chances, while Eden Hazard was also guilty of a lack of clinical touch in front of goal.
And while the Spanish star - who scored a hat-trick in Saturday's victory over Swansea - came off the bench for a late cameo, he had little impact against the German side, with Mourinho revealing his concern over the forward’s condition.
"Costa has a problem," said the Blues boss.
"If he has one week to let the muscle recover he can start a game. Playing on Saturday, three days is not enough for him to recover.
"It was not to protect for the game Sunday [at Manchester City] it was because today he was not in condition to start the game."
Costa limped out of last season's Champions League final with Atletico Madrid with a hamstring problem and the injury recurred while on international duty earlier this month with Spain.
"He played here one match and he was perfect," Mourinho added.
"He went to the national team and after the game against France he came back to us injured.
"He came to us [from Atletico] and he was completely fine. He had a problem again in the national team, not with us.
"Now we have the problem and now we have to resolve the problem the best we can.
"Today he was not in condition to play. Sunday we believe he is.
"Next week against Bolton [in the Capital One Cup] for sure he isn't. We have to manage the situation until the moment he's completely fine.
"If today he starts the game, for sure he cannot play on Sunday. We have to go step by step."
Listen to the full post-match reaction from Jose Mourinho above!
