Jose Mourinho says John Terry and Eden Hazard are fit to play for
Chelsea against Atletico Madrid in Wednesday's Champions League
semifinal second leg, and that the competition "owes" his captain.
The Portuguese also said Petr Cech will not play, despite being filmed training at Cobham on Tuesday.
Hazard picked up a hamstring injury in the quarterfinal second leg
against Paris Saint-Germain and has not played since, but Mourinho said
he is "ready" to start against Atletico.
"He is ready. It's my option to start or not, but he's ready."
Terry limped off during the first leg against the Spanish side and
missed Sunday’s 2-0 win at Liverpool, but Mourinho confirmed he will
start.
The Chelsea manager also said his captain deserves some recompense from
the Champions League after missing the penalty that cost the club the
2008 final against Manchester United, and then not featuring in the
victorious 2012 final through suspension.
"My captain is playing at the same level he was playing when I left
Chelsea in 2007, as simple as that," Mourinho said. "Seven years later,
he's playing again at his best. At his best level. It's fair to say
that.
"It's also fair to say that the people who surround him, the people who
are playing on his left and right, in front of him, are also playing
fantastically. His partnership with Cahill is fantastic and the people
who work together in the same areas are doing a fantastic job. I'm
really happy to see a player like him, six or seven years later, to be
back to the same level.
"I think he deserves more than the Champions League has given him up to
now. He lost a few semifinals in special circumstances. He lost the
final also in special circumstances. He won a final in special
circumstances because he couldn't play. I think the Champions League
owes him something. Of course he starts tomorrow. Of course."
Mourinho, meanwhile, denied that Cech would play.
"Obviously his condition doesn't allow him to play, but the message
from the group was that: everyone is and wants to do (well), but his
condition obviously doesn't give him a chance."
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