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José Mourinho (Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho believes football authorities are putting players in danger after Tottenham beat Chelsea 5-4 on penalties to advance to the League Cup quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw.
Mourinho’s men played the second of four matches in eight days in three different competitions.
Eric Dier was the only retained outfield player on Tottenham’s side to start Sunday’s 1-1 draw in the Premier League against Newcastle and the England defender had to shoot off the field for a comfortable rest in the second half.
“The number of minutes played is dangerous. What I did today with Eric Dier today is very dangerous,” Mourinho said, suggesting that dehydration could have led to the defender’s problem.
“It should be forbidden to play two games in 48 hours. What Eric Dier did is not human.”
Timo Werner’s first goal for Chelsea compounded Mourinho’s woes in a dominating start from Frank Lampard’s men.
But Erik Lamela deservedly tied for Spurs with seven minutes remaining and Chelsea’s new goalkeeper Edouard Mendy couldn’t stop Dier, Lamela, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane from scoring from the point.
Tammy Abraham, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho and Emerson also converted their penalties, as the first nine of the penalty shoot-out were successful.
But Mason Mount’s effort cut the pole to the delight of spectator Gareth Bale, who could be in a position to be in the last eight with the quarterfinals through the end of December.
“Anything can happen on penalties,” Lampard said. “You want to stay in these competitions, of course, but there are a lot of things that you like. We dominated the first half, but the game changed (in the second half).”
Mourinho said the backlog of matches gave him no choice but to prioritize Thursday’s Europa League tie against Maccabi Haifa given the financial incentive the club offers.
“I told the players that they should only think about this game, but I have three games to think about,” added Mourinho, who faces another of his former clubs, Manchester United, in the Premier League on Sunday.
“I can’t believe we’re playing a European game in 48 hours. The guys were absolutely phenomenal.”
Lampard made eight changes, but Werner was one of those retained from the 3-3 draw at West Brom on Saturday and seized the opportunity to score his first goal for the club after a big move of money from RB Leipzig.
Tottenham rookie Sergio Reguilón committed two fouls in preparation as he gifted Azpilicueta possession and then launched himself to try to block the Spaniard’s center, allowing the Chelsea captain to knock Werner out on the edge of the area. to launch an inward shot. the bottom corner.
Lampard had won all three of his previous meetings against his former coach Mourinho and tensions between the two flared during the first half as they exchanged angry words on the touchline.
On the field, the Spurs were the best team, as Mendy made important saves by Lamela and Reguilon on both sides of halftime.
Mourinho showed his intention by introducing Kane from the bench with 20 minutes to go.
Moments later, the Portuguese was marching down the tunnel behind Dier as the defender ran into the locker room before quickly returning.
Chelsea didn’t make the most of a brief stint with an extra man when Callum Hudson-Odoi fired and Werner’s fierce effort was saved by Lloris.
“I was not happy, but I couldn’t do anything about it, nature was calling me,” Dier said of the Mourinho persecution. “I heard there was a possibility, but luckily they didn’t score.”
Chelsea was punished when Lamela hit home at the far post from Reguilon’s center to send the game into a shootout and finally the Spurs into the last eight.
