Zimpapers Logo

Even news of an unfortunate injury to midfielder Nemanja Matic could not overshadow a victory over West Ham United that kept Chelsea five points clear in the Premier League.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho revealed that the Serbian midfielder hurt his ankle in the on-field celebrations that followed his side’s League Cup final victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Matic was ruled out of Wednesday’s 1-0 victory at West Ham while he served the final game of a two-match suspension that had also forced him to sit out the win over Spurs. But with the Serbia international having picked up an injury after joining his teammates on the Wembley turf as they paraded the trophy, Mourinho said he would have missed the trip to West Ham even without his ban.

Matic now has seven days to recover in time for the second leg of Chelsea’s Champions League last 16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain, although his manager expects him to be fit to face the Ligue 1 side.

“Matic is injured and he got an injury celebrating the cup,” Mourinho said. — Sport 24