The bitter relations between clubs and national sides over use of big players have ever been a big problem for every side, especially those who regularly employ the steepest players and fear of any injury on their international duties. After Real Madrid who has ever been over possessive for its world’s priciest players and even usually ask national coaches for delicate use of its players even in the world cup games, it’s now turn of Chelsea and its promising Spanish forward Diego Costa. Costa has recently been in the news for verbal fight between Blues manager Jose Mourinho and Spanish manager on the issue of his selection for Euro qualifiers besides having been passing through niggling injuries. Initially, Spanish selectors wanted to use him but later refused to include in the national squad on the pretext that Costa should have been rested by the league side so he could have been available for the national duty. Later, Portuguese manager lambasted Spanish mentors for overruling his advice over injured players and denied of having used any player beyond a limit.
Actually, Costa was not the only player passing through an injury and sideline by the Spanish selectors, another Chelsea player Cesc Fabregas also joined him and deepened the controversy. Now, North Londoners used both the ‘injured’ players in their last game with West Brom on Saturday and answered all the critics who have long been condemning their actions after Spanish mentors did not select them for international games. Pointing several similar examples, former Everton manager said, “Vincent Kompany played today for Man City, but he didn’t play for Belgium. He was injured. Okay?
“Did Leighton Baines play for Everton? No, he didn’t but how many players were injured for the international teams and could recover one week later, doing his work at the club? Lots of them, lots of them. So, for me, there is no story since I know Sergio Ramos is a fantastic football player, but he is not a doctor.
“He is not a doctor and I am the same. I do my job the best I can but I am not a doctor. My doctor and the doctor of the Spanish national team, they had the scans and they decided that the player was not in the condition to play. Kompany didn’t play for Belgium against Wales and he played on Saturday.
“Has he a compromise with his national team? I think he has. He is the captain of Belgium.”