Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata is likely to remain on the sidelines according to manager José Mourinho, who has stated that he is struggling to find the midfielder. The future of the Spaniard has been heavily speculated this campaign after he lost out of place in the Chelsea first-team despite being the club’s best player in the last two seasons. During this period, he helped the club win the Champions league and the Europa league titles along with an FA Cup as well. However, Mourinho has been preferring Brazilian Oscar to the number 10 role this campaign.

This has intensified rumours that Mata may join clubs like PSG, who was showing interest in him. The former Valencia man has won the best player of the year award from the club in the last two seasons. Mourinho has stated that he can select only 11 players every time the team steps onto the pitch. However, he says that a number of players at Chelsea deserve to start at the moment, but they are unable to do so due to the limitations.

“There is one thing that is obvious, which is I can’t change the rules and I can’t start the match with 12, 13 or 14. I’d love that because many people deserve to play and Juan is one who deserves to play because of the way he works, behaves, the way we see him every day. But if I play him and I don’t play (Eden) Hazard or Oscar, you are asking me about Hazard or Oscar in this moment,” said Mourinho.

Even when Mata has featured for the team, he has been substituted quite early.

The press have been obsessed with Mata’s absence from the team, but Mourinho reckons that leaving out the likes of Eden Hazard and Oscar for the Spaniard will also draw similar questions.