Diego Costa 'can't play three games a week', says Jose Mourinho, as Chelsea boss admits £32m signing needs seven days to recover after matches

• Mourinho says Costa isn't fit enough to play more than one game a week
• Striker signed for £32million from Atletico Madrid in the summer
• Costa was left on the bench as Chelsea drew 1-1 with Schalke
• Loic Remy and Costa came on in 74th minute at Stamford Bridge
• Jose: 'If he had started, maybe after 20-25 minutes I would have had to change him'
• Mourinho blames Spanish national team for problems 

Jose Mourinho claims Diego Costa cannot play three games a week for Chelsea because of a hamstring injury he picked up on international duty with Spain.

Costa, who scored seven times in his opening four Chelsea games, was forced on to the substitutes bench with the problem ahead of their 1-1 draw with Schalke in the Champions League.

Although Mourinho did not go as far as criticising the Spanish national team for their handling of the striker’s delicate muscular issues, he admits they are having to treat him carefully.

 

The Chelsea coach said: ‘He went to the national team in perfect conditions and came back injured. 

‘But what happened to Diego happens to many other players in other national teams. I have nothing to say about it. It's just what happens. He played one match and was perfect, then went to the national team, played against France and came back injured.’ 

Costa came on for the final 17 minutes last night and will start Sunday’s Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester City.

Mourinho, though, has already ruled him out of next week’s Capital One Cup tie with Bolton art Stamford Bridge.

He added: 'Costa has a problem and he can't play in this moment three matches in a week. If he has one week to let the muscle recover, he can start again like he has been since he had that problem with the national team. ‘But three days, after Saturday, is not enough. It was not to protect him for the game for Sunday, but because today he was not in the condition after Saturday.

‘He signed for us and was completely fine. He had a problem again in the national team, not with us. 

‘And now we have a problem and now we have to resolve it as best we can. Today he was not in condition to play. Sunday we believe he is. 

‘Next week, against Bolton, for sure he isn't. We have to manage the situation until the moment he's completely fine. ‘I don't know (how long that will be). If today he had started the game, for sure he could not play on Sunday. We have to go step by step.’