Spanish Trio Set To Miss PL Start

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Jose Mourinho has revealed today that

Torres, Mata and Azpilliceta are set to miss our Premiere League opener against newly promoted Hull City due to their involvement with the Spanish national team.

The current world and Europe champions face the Ecuador in a friendly match two days before the start of the 2013-14 Premiere League and will only return to Cobham less than 24 hours before Chelsea's match against Hull. And our Portuguese manager has been talking to the media about how that will affect his team selection:

"My lineup will depend a lot on which players go away with their national teams two days before the opening of the Premier League," Mourinho said. "If one has to go to Ecuador and comes back and arrives in London on Saturday without having slept after a 15-hour flight, coming in to train on Saturday morning, I don't think he is going to play on Sunday. If a player plays for England on Wednesday against Scotland, let's say plays for 45 minutes at Wembley and then an hour after the game he is at home in Cobham sleeping, he is in a better condition to play."

The special one has also revealed that the date for the Aston Villa clash, which is yet to be set, will be another factor in his team selection saying "if we have to play against Aston Villa two or three days later, I will have to think about two or three matches at the same time. If the game is postponed until two months later and I have only one match in a week, I will think differently. It depends on the situation."

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[themightyblue 443]

Last season this would have worried me, but assuming everyone is fit we could still play

Cech

Ivanovic Luiz Terry Cole

Ramires Mikel

De Bruyne Oscar Hazard

Rooney

And still have a bench comprising of 7 from Schwarzer, Cahill, Kalas, Bertrand, Van Ginkel, Lampard, Essien, Ake, Schurrle, Moses, Lukaku, Ba

Happy days

[gary gordon 1,777]

It worries me that these players aren't going to get a decent pre season with the team. Players are different, the manager and staff are different. Somebody like Torres needs a full pre season. He played fuck-all in the Con Cup and i reckon his fitness needs working on as it is.. Mata needs a break so i don't mind him resting.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

Ridiculous.

[Hutcho 8,443]

WHAT!

An international friendly two days before the start of the season! fuck off.

[Stingray 9,441]

What a way to screw up the teams allround preparations....

A team is not a jigsaw puzzle where you just put the pieces you have in.

I do fear Nando might be even worse this season due to no preseason

[iceboy 992]

Shitt. No Mata :S

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I do fear Nando might be even worse this season due to no preseason

He will play with the team in the 4 scheduled games in the US. But yes, it seems an incredibly stupid time to have an international friendly.

[NishC300 1,865]

WHAT!

An international friendly two days before the start of the season! fuck off.

Are these friendlies scheduled by FIFA?

[Hutcho 8,443]

Are these friendlies scheduled by FIFA?

I don't know. I would assume so though.

[NishC300 1,865]

Wht's more remarkable is that FIFA is not objecting to this! (unless they don't have the power to)

[kellzfresh 7,226]

Great, more ways to keep mata from playing beside KDB.

[Moros 86]

I do not want to believe this. It's just overly ridiculous, even to FIFA's standards..

[magic weeds 446]

Lets just hope Del Bosque doesnt call Mata for this friendly. He should stick with his beloved Silva.

[HNKS 508]

International friendlies....the most pointless part of football.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Luckily, it's probably the easiest game of the season. We should be able to beat Hull with a few players missing. De Bruyne, Terry, and Lukaku in the starting XI instead is fine. The timing is stupid of course, but friendlies are always annoying.

[LayZ 201]

Oh the irony...

See @iceboy's post above...

[Alee. 182]

Thankfully it is just Hull City, should not be a problem to play them with a few players missing. Hopefully we won't pick up any other injuries or have anyone else ruled out.