Mourinho Hails Pedro

Mourinho Hails Pedro

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hailed his latest signing Pedro as a player ‘close’ to Maradona. The Spaniard signed with Chelsea last week for around £22m and made an instant impact by scoring on his debut.

Speaking to Chelsea TV after the win Mourinho said: “He wasn’t quite Maradona but he was close.”

“He’s a very good player. There is always a question mark because of how many top players come to England and don’t perform immediately.”

“We have examples in our club and there are lots of examples in other clubs, it’s very nice for him to perform the way he did.”

“I expected him to perform like that because he had a good pre-season, and he played three competitive matches. He came with minutes, with intensity, so it was not a question of intensity and condition, it was a question of understanding.”

“We worked tactically every day since he arrived for him to try to understand the team and for the team to try to understand what he wants and needs. It was a very good performance.”

[Quotes via the Express]

As for Chelsea skipper John Terry, who was substituted against Manchester City in the 3-0 thrashing then sent off against West Brom, Mourinho admitted that Chelsea are unlikely to appeal his suspension, unlike with Courtois.

He said: ‘Normally it’s a waste of time for us, I think we should but normally it’s a waste of time.”

“No (I don’t blame him), it’s a ball into the space behind the full back, the full back is pressing high, the striker makes the movement and then (referee) Mr Clattenburg decides it’s a red card.”

“To speak about the sending off I have to speak about many other things in the game. Some things you can see and some things we can see.”

“I prefer just to focus on us.”

[Quotes via the Daily Mail]