José Mourinho, a master at creating a diversionary story to deflect attention away from a disappointing result, turned on his medical staff after Chelsea’s opening draw with Swansea.
The incident that upset him was not critical to the outcome of the game. Eden Hazard received treatment in stoppage time from Chelsea’s first-team doctor Eva Carneiro. That meant the striker had to leave the pitch, leaving the team, who were already down to 10 men after the dismissal of Thibaut Courtois, undermanned and exposed to a Swansea break. In the end nothing materialised but Mourinho nevertheless wished to make clear his discontent.
“I wasn’t happy with my medical staff because even if you are a medical doctor or secretary on the bench you have to understand the game,” Mourinho said. “You have to know that you have one player less and if you go to the pitch to assist a player then you must be sure that a player has a serious problem. I was sure that Eden didn’t have a serious problem. He had a knock and was very tired. My medical department left me with eight fit [outfield] players in a counterattack after a set piece and we were worried we didn’t have enough players left.”
It was a peculiar angle for Mourinho to take, perhaps because he was adamant he did not want to talk about a more damaging bone of contention. Courtois was sent off in the 52nd minute for fouling Bafétimbi Gomis on the edge of the area, which resulted in the penalty from which Swansea equalised.
Garry Monk was certain it was a clear goalscoring opportunity. “I thought Bafi would get that. The referee got that right,” the Swansea manager said.
Mourinho elected not to get involved in that one. “I don’t want to speak about red cards,” he said.
Whether that stance continues remains to be seen in terms of his self-restraint on the subject of refereeing decisions.
“The first time I can control myself. It was on day one we were punished, but it was not on day one I opened my mouth,” he quipped.
“Fundamentally, I am happy with the quality in the first half and the spirit in the second half. We are in peace.”