Zouma Fine after Collission as Chelsea Reach League Cup Semis

Jose Mourinho has said Kurt Zouma is fine after the centre-back was taken off the pitch on a stretcher during Tuesday night’s 3-1 League Cup win at Derby County.

Chelsea reached the semi-finals of the Capital One with Eden Hazard, Filipe Luiz and Andre Schurrle ensuring Craig Bryson strike had no consequence on the outcome of the quarter-finals fixture on a rain-soaked night at the iPro Stadium.

Derby also had Jake Buxton sent off for impeding substitute Loic Remy, who came on for Didier Drogba after the Ivorian slipped on the turf and hobbled off with an ankle injury earlier in the second.

Kurt Zouma Hobbled Off the Pitch By the Stretcher Team, Including Cesar Azpilicueta and cesc Fabregas. Image: Getty.
Kurt Zouma Hobbled Off the Pitch By the Stretcher Team, Including Cesar Azpilicueta and cesc Fabregas. Image: Getty.

“Drogba’s ankle is swollen! He is a strong guy with a strong mentality,” Mourinho said. “I think he’ll be okay.”

Zouma was stretchered off in first-half injury time after colliding with goalkeeper Petr Cech.

“He (Zouma) is fine,” Mourinho confirmed. “We don’t think he needs hospital treatment. He was a bit dizzy and he had some blood in his mouth because of a cut. He has gone for some exams with the docs. He’ll be available for Monday.

“I thought the collision was a punch, but it was with Petr’s head – his helmet! The players were with the body language that there was some trouble but I had no idea what the trouble was because of the distance. I had some information the people with the stretchers are not allowed to run and I trust that.”

The victory keeps Chelsea’s hopes of lifting all trophies intact. The Portuguese boss, 51, won the League Cup twice in his first stint as Chelsea manager and will realise his side’s next opponents in Wednesday’s draw.

Mourinho named a strong lineup against the Championship club, managed by former England manager Steve McClaren, with Hazard, John Terry, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas all in the team.

“If we were not professional we would lose, I knew that,’ said Mourinho. “I played here last season and I watched them play a few matches on TV in the Championship and I know the quality they have. I know if we don’t come with a strong side and a strong bench it would be a problem with us.”

Chelsea a back on Monday in a Premier League game at Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium and Mourinho stressed “It’s important to win on Monday. We go match by match. We don’t choose competitions or matches. The next match is the most important thing. We go like this.”