Chelsea
manager Jose Mourinho denied suggestions of a rift with Diego Costa after
dropping the striker for his side's goalless draw at Tottenham.
Mourinho named Costa on the bench at White Hart Lane with Eden Hazard
preferred in attack alongside Pedro and Willian.
The striker, who tossed his substitutes' bib over his shoulder in the
direction of his manager in the final moments of the match, was an unused
substitute as Chelsea failed to break down Spurs.
However, Mourinho was quick to play down any talk of a falling-out with the
27-year-old.
"If he wants to hurt me, it's not with a bib. I have a good relationship
with him, no problems," Mourinho said.
"I think Diego is very privileged because he was the last one to be [put] on
the bench.
"Everybody was on the bench. I kept him in the team for all these matches
and today we thought the best strategy to play was this one. We are happy
with the decision."
Ahead of the game, reports suggested Costa did not warm up with his
team-mates and eventually made his way pitch-side with trainers, rather than
boots on.
Mourinho revealed Costa was ready to play and warmed up when instructed to
during the second half.
"When I asked him to warm up, he did," Mourinho added.
"Eden was kicked, he had some fouls, some studs and we could have needed him
[Costa] for the last five minutes but I felt if he could play for 90 minutes
he was so good, so dangerous for them that I didn't want to change him.
"With the result 0-0 we felt we can score a goal so why change if we think
we cannot improve."
He added: "I think physically he is fine, he is working well every day, his
mood is positive. I was not expecting to have a player jumping and singing
because he was not playing.
"A top player going on the bench they are not happy so for me his behaviour
was normal. He was ready to play when he went to the warm up."
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