Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho admitted his team might not be able to qualify for next season’s Champions League after losing 1-0 at home to Bournemouth.
An eighth defeat in 15 Premier League games means the champions are 14 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United. “Our objective is to finish top four,” said Mourinho.
“Before this game it was realistic to think that our quality would take us out of this position but maybe now we have to think about top six.”
Chelsea are now three points above the relegation zone and 17 points behind leaders Leicester. Mourinho added: “I am concerned of course. There is no chance that Chelsea will be fighting relegation.”
But after saying he had no problem with a squad night out in midweek,he did question his players’ consistency after a poor run that has also seen them suffer home defeats by Crystal Palace, Southampton and Liverpool in the league this season. “If our players are not able to give the maximum every day that is a problem,” he added.
“If you analyse match after match there are a few layers where it is difficult to be consistent. You think there is evolution, but maybe it is just one moment in which they are good.”
‘Referee made a clear mistake’
Bournemouth substitute Glenn Murray scored the winner with his first touch, only 99 seconds after coming on, and there was a slight suspicion of offside about the goal.
But Mourinho said he was more concerned by referee Mike Jones’ decision not to award his team a penalty when Simon Francis slid in to tackle Diego Costa and the ball struck the Cherries skipper’s arm.
Costa came on as a half-time substitute after being left out of Chelsea’s previous game at Tottenham.
“We didn’t deserve to lose,” the Portuguese said. “Our opponent – in the period that they thought only of defence – managed to get a goal and there was a clear mistake from the referee.
“I think it is a clear handball and penalty with the score at 0-0.
“They played in a way that some call intelligent, some say is not fair play. They were taking time, calling for the medical department and drinking water like it is a basketball timeout.”
On the goal, Mourinho added: “If it was offside it is another episode that goes against us, but I did not see it.”
By: BBC
