SOCCER-ENGLAND/CHELSEA Chelsea keeper Courtois ruled out for 'long time' - Mourinho
Record ID:
139988
SOCCER-ENGLAND/CHELSEA Chelsea keeper Courtois ruled out for 'long time' - Mourinho
- Title: SOCCER-ENGLAND/CHELSEA Chelsea keeper Courtois ruled out for 'long time' - Mourinho
- Date: 11th September 2015
- Summary: COBHAM, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 11, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERA FILMING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, TALKING ABOUT GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS, SAYING: "I just know that he will be out, he will be out for some time but I wait for Dr. (Paco) Biosca to be more specific after surgery and I think today we will be ready to give some more information." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, TALKING ABOUT GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS, SAYING: "It's a big blow but you will not see me next week be speaking again about Thibaut (Courtois) because I never do when a player is injured. He's injured, he's injured. It's not easy to have the best goalkeeper in the world injured, it's not easy but it's easy to have one of the best goalkeepers in the world to play and we have Begovic to play and he is very, very good. So, I'm very sad for Thibaut, I'm very sad for the team obviously but we have a top goalkeeper and Begovic will be in goal." JOURNALIST TYPING ON LAPTOP (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "What (Everton manager Roberto) Martinez says for me means nothing and I don't comment. And John Stones obviously, the only thing I can tell you is that I expect to play tomorrow with (Phil) Jagielka because he's the normal two central defenders that play for Everton and we know their qualities and we are going to try to be successful against them." MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "Every game is important, every game is important and we are in the title race, yes we are. And we need points. We need points but every game is difficult; Everton is no different. I told in the beginning of the season every team is getting better, every team has economical power, every team has good players, every team has players with enough quality to be playing for the title contenders so every game is more difficult, every point is more difficult to get and we know that, so we go with the intention to win the match but with lots of expect for a quality opponent." MOURINHO SEEN ON CAMERA'S SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "Every, every result we got was less than we did to get the better result. Even against West Bromwich where we won, the 3-2 victory looks a very, very, very tight match and it wasn't; the result should be completely different and I say the same in the defeats against (Manchester) City and (Crystal) Palace and against the draw against Swansea. Circumstances of the match gave us results worse than the performance so I am positive." PHOTOGRAPHER AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "I'm happy that FIFA has time for other things in the middle of such a grey weather around them, I'm happy they have time for other things." NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING
- Embargoed: 26th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVADHO8FVHKHKYESHFZGDG8BWU88
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois needs knee surgery and will be out for "some time," manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday (September 11).
The 23-year-old Belgium international will miss the champions' Premier League game at Everton on Saturday (September 12) and the start of their Champions League group campaign.
Bosnian Asmir Begovic, signed from Stoke City this year, will replace Courtois who sustained the injury in training.
"I just know that he will be out, he will be out for some time but I wait for Dr (Paco) Biosca to be more specific after surgery and I think today we will be ready to give some more information," Mourinho told reporters at the club's training ground near London.
"It's a big blow but you will not see me next week be speaking again about Thibaut (Courtois) because I never do when a player is injured. He's injured, he's injured. It's not easy to have the best goalkeeper in the world injured, it's not easy but it's easy to have one of the best goalkeepers in the world to play and we have Begovic to play and he is very, very good. So, I'm very sad for Thibaut, I'm very sad for the team obviously but we have a top goalkeeper and Begovic will be in goal."
Chelsea, who sold long-time first-choice keeper Petr Cech to Arsenal in June, have made a disappointing start to the season, taking four points from their first four matches to fall eight points behind leaders Manchester City.
Chelsea's defence, which was watertight last season, has been frequently exposed and in Saturday's early kickoff they will come face to face with John Stones, Everton's centre back who Mourinho tried in vain to sign.
On Thursday (September 10), Everton manager Roberto Martinez praised the professionalism of Stones ahead of Chelsea's visit to Goodison Park, and insisted that his relationship with Mourinho had not been damaged by the champions' pursuit of the 21-year-old.
Chelsea reportedly made three bids for Stones during the transfer window, but Everton stood firm in their insistence that the player was not for sale, despite him handing in a formal transfer request.
When asked about Martinez's comments, Mourinho said:
"What Martinez says for me means nothing and I don't comment. And John Stones obviously, the only thing I can tell you is that I expect to play tomorrow with (Phil) Jagielka because he's the normal two central defenders that play for Everton and we know their qualities and we are going to try to be successful against them.
"Every game is important, every game is important and we are in the title race, yes we are. And we need points. We need points but every game is difficult; Everton is no different. I told in the beginning of the season every team is getting better, every team has economical power, every team has good players, every team has players with enough quality to be playing for the title contenders so every game is more difficult, every point is more difficult to get and we know that so we go with the intention to win the match but with lots of expect for a quality opponent."
Mourinho's side have lost to Manchester City and Crystal Palace this season but the Portuguese insisted his team's performances were better than what the results suggest.
"Every result we got was less than we did to get the better result. Even against West Bromwich where we won, the 3-2 victory looks a very, very, very tight match and it wasn't; the result should be completely different and I say the same in the defeats against (Manchester) City and (Crystal) Palace and against the draw against Swansea. Circumstances of the match gave us results worse than the performance so I am positive," he said.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's loan policy is facing further scrutiny as FIFA confirmed it has received a complaint from Fiorentina over Mohamed Salah's loan move to AS Roma.
Egypt's Salah impressed in Serie A last season and prompted Roma to sign the midfielder on a season-long loan this year. Fiorentina believes Salah's move to Roma is a breach of contract and FIFA is investigating the claim.
Mourinho, said:
"I'm happy that FIFA has time for other things in the middle of such a grey weather around them, I'm happy they have time for other things." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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