Mata and Torres could be rested after coming back from international duty.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has admitted that the club’s Spanish stars Fernando Torres and Juan Mata may not feature in the Blues’ first Premier League match against Hull City.
The 2013/14 season kicks off on August 18 but the pair will have been involved in a friendly with Spain just four days earlier in Ecuador.
Mourinho hasn’t had the chance to see either Mata or Torres in action yet as the duo are late joining up with the squad due to the Confederations Cup – along with David Luiz, Oscar, Cesar Azpilicueta and John Obi Mikel.
Mata was considered to be one of best players at Stamford Bridge last season and was nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award, so the 25-year-old will be a huge loss to the side.
“The players who go for their national teams two days before the opening of the Premier League, it depends a lot on that,” the Portuguese boss was quoted in the Independent.
“Some have to go to Ecuador and come back and arrive in London on Saturday without having slept after a 15-hour flight to train on Saturday morning.”
Mourinho has been handed the difficult task of delivering the Premier League title back to west London for the first time since 2010, with the 50-year-old having won the trophy twice during a previous three year spell at the Bridge between 2004 and 2007.
Since leaving Chelsea the ‘Special One’ has managed Inter Milan and Real Madrid, winning the treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League with Inter in 2010, along with the Copa Del Rey and La Liga with Madrid.
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