Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois discusses ‘rift’ with Arsenal man

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois says he never fell out with Arsenal number one Petr Cech.

Thibaut Courtois says he never fell out with Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech.

The Belgium international usurped the 33-year-old shot stopper as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper following his return from a loan at Atletico Madrid last summer.

Cech made a handful of appearances after falling down the pecking order at the west London side as Jose Mourinho’s men won their fourth Premier League title and the League Cup.

The Czech Republic international ended his rivalry with the 23-year-old goalkeeper in the summer after he moved to Arsenal in an £11m deal from the defending Premier League champions.

And Chelsea goalkeeper Courtois lifted the lid on the real nature of his relationship with Cech.

“In every interview last year it was about my relationship with Cech,” Courtois told Belgian news outlet HLN.

“Apparently everyone thought we had blazing rows every day, it was just the opposite. Petr and I had a close relationship. Even now, we call each other frequently.”

Cech has already become a key part of Arsenal’s side following his controversial summer move.

Thibaut Courtois injury: Chelsea goalkeeper expects to return in December

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed that he is on course to return to full fitness by December.

The Belgium international suffered knee ligament damage in September and required surgery to correct the injury.

The procedure was a success and the 23-year-old has posted a series of photographs on his official Instagram page after stepping up his rehabilitation in recent weeks.

"In terms of my knee, it is good. I am doing my rehabilitation and it is progressing fine" he explained after Belgium qualified for Euro 2016 on Wednesday night.

"I will be (now) starting the bulk of the work with my physio to come back as soon as possible.

"Of course I still have to be careful not to go too quickly, but all being well, I should be back in December."

Jose Mourinho's side conceded just 32 goals en route to the Premier League title last season but have conceded more than half that total after just eight games of the current campaign.

Summer signing Asmir Begovic has deputised for Courtois during the Belgian's spell on the sidelines and has kept one clean sheet in six top flight appearances.

While the news in regards to Courtois is positive, the Blues are expected to be without Branislav Ivanovic when they face Aston Villa this weekend.

The right back suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty with Serbia and could face up to three weeks on the sidelines.

Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois hopes to be back in action in December

Thibaut Courtois hopes to be back in action in December as planned while Chelsea are expected to be without the defender Branislav Ivanovic when the Premier League resumes this weekend.

The Belgium goalkeeper needed surgery following damage to ligaments in his right knee suffered in training last month. Courtois said the procedure had gone well and he was now set to step up his recovery programme.

“In terms of my knee, it is good. I am doing my rehabilitation and it is progressing fine,” Courtois said after Belgium’s Euro 2016 qualifying win over Israel. “I will be starting the bulk of the work with my physio to come back as soon as possible. I still have to be careful not to go too quickly but all being well, I should be back in December.”

Chelsea have struggled for consistency, with the champions 16th in the table, already 10 points behind the leaders Manchester City before the home match with Aston Villa on Saturday.

Ivanovic suffered a hamstring injury while on duty with Serbia. The full-back could be out for three weeks, which would include the Champions League tie at Dynamo Kyiv as well as games against West Ham, Stoke and Liverpool.

Jose Mourinho to appeal FA's £50k fine and suspended stadium ban

Jose Mourinho will appeal the £50,000 fine and suspended one-match stadium ban imposed on him by the FA.

The Chelsea manager was sanctioned after he suggested referees were afraid to give his side penalties in the wake of their 3-1 home defeat to Southampton.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of Chelsea's home match against Aston Villa on Saturday, Mourinho said: "I have to be honest with myself - that is the most important thing - so I have to appeal."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho talks during his press conference

Mourinho described the fine as a "disgrace" at book signing on Thursday night but refused to comment further on Friday.

He added: "The moment we got the written reasons and I decided to appeal was the moment to stop with my opinions and not to add anything more than I did already, which I think I was very objective in my sadness."

Mourinho insisted his criticism of the FA would not prevent him taking the England manager's job, which he has previously expressed an interest in, should he ever be offered it.

He added: "Maybe I am naive, but, for me, English football, English football fans, the English passion for the game - what makes me like so much this country and the football in this country - is not the FA. It's the people, and if one day I have to work for that people, I will."

Chelsea sit 16th in the Premier League on just eight points ahead of welcoming a Villa side who are two places and four points worse off. Despite Villa's struggles, Mourinho refused to describe it as a must-win match.

"Every game is a must-win game, for different reasons," he said. "When we don't win, it is always a disappointment and a frustration, but we cannot run away from the reality of the table.

Branislav Ivanovic (left) is unavailable after picking up a hamstring injury while playing for Serbia

"Obviously, we know we're not going to be relegated. We know that  in a couple of months that we will be in a position that we normally have to be, but the reality, right now, today, is the reality of the numbers, and the numbers are very cruel but objective, and we need points."

Mourinho will be without Branislav Ivanovic, who picked up a hamstring injury while representing Serbia, and long-term absentee Thibaut Courtois for the visit of Villa, but otherwise his players escaped the international break unscathed.

"Only Ivanovic injury, and Courtois - everyone else available," Mourinho added. "For Ivanovic, I have four solutions: I have [Cesar] Azpilicueta; I have adaptations for [Kurt] Zouma and Ramires; I have Ola Aina, a boy with potential."

Chelsea injury news: Diego Costa to return but Branislav Ivanovic and Thibaut Courtois definitely out against Aston Villa

Diego Costa is back in contention to return to the Chelsea starting line-up against Aston Villa with his three-match suspension now completed.

The Spanish striker was banned retrospectively for lashing out at Gabriel Paulista when Chelsea beat Arsenal on 19 September, but has seen through that ban after missing the League Cup win against Walsall, the draw at Newcastle and the Southampton defeat.

Jose Mourinho confirmed that Branislav Ivanovic and Thibaut Courtois are the squad's only injury concerns.

"We have only Ivanovic injury and Courtois recovering. Everybody else is available," he said at his pre-match press conference.

Ivanovic was injured while on international duty for Serbia in midweek, while No 1 goalkeeper Courtois is likely to be out until early December because of his knee problem.

Jose Mourinho is under more pressure ahead of the must-win game with Villa afte reports emerged of a 'mutiny' in the Chelsea dressing room. 

With Ivanovic out Mourinho said he has "four solutions", although he strangely omitted £14million Baba Rahman as one of those, instead naming a teenage youth player.

"I have four solutions," he said. " I have Azpilicueta. I have the adaptation of [Kurt] Zouma or Ramires and I have Ola Aina, who is 18 years old."