Friday 1 May 2015 14:56, UK
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says Diego Costa will sit out Sunday's match with Crystal Palace and may not play again this season if the Blues clinch the title with a victory.
However, Loic Remy will be available to face the Eagles, having recovered from injury.
Costa has been struggling with a recurrence of a hamstring problem and Mourinho says Chelsea’s results over the last month have allowed him to keep the Spain international on the sidelines.
Asked if Costa would be back on Sunday, Mourinho said: "It isn’t worth the risk, we don't need to rush.
"In this process, over the last month, if we lost a game and we didn’t want to lose a second, he would be back immediately.
"Because the results in the last month were always victories and a draw, we don't need to rush. We are trying to give him maximum stability for him to be stronger and stronger. Remy is fit, definitely back."
Asked if Costa may not return to action this season, Mourinho added: "There is a chance he might not.
"If we win Sunday, I don’t think he will play against Liverpool (the following Sunday). If we don’t win and we need points against Liverpool, I would say he plays. It is about result after result, need after needs."
Asked whether Costa would be given a long summer break, Mourinho said: "A good period of work, rather.
He (Costa) needs a good period. We are preparing a good working situation for him over the summer.
"We are preparing a good working situation for him during the holiday period, where he can obviously mix the holiday with work without fear."
Mourinho also praised Didier Drogba, who has done a capable job up front in the absence of Costa and Remy, and the manager says it will be decided in the summer if the veteran should stay on for another season.
Asked if he thought Drogba would prove such a key man, Mourinho said: "Yes, I was expecting it.
"Important goals he's scored in the Capital (League) Cup. Important goals - not a huge amount - in the Premier League. A great contribution. We have time to speak and analyse his feelings.
"The three strikers will always have time and matches. Rotation, form, performance, cards, injuries, different competitions, there would always be space and time for all of them."
Watch Chelsea v Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 12.30pm.
