
West Brom vs. Chelsea: Jose Mourinho's Key Comments at Pre-Match Presser
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho reiterated on Friday he doesn't want goalkeeper Petr Cech to leave the club, and he also suggested Steven Gerrard should feel no regret over his decision to snub Chelsea.
Cech is currently linked with a move to Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal, as reported by Mark Irwin of The Sun. Mourinho doesn't want to see the Czech Republic international leave, as confirmed in his press conference ahead of Monday's match with West Bromwich Albion, per Joe Prince-Wright of NBC:
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Viktor Kolar, Cech's agent, revealed the stopper has been "permitted by Chelsea to negotiate with interested parties" over his future, as reported by BBC Sport. Mourinho admitted he doesn't know if this is true, per Miguel Delaney of ESPN FC:

While delivering injury updates, Mourinho confirmed Cech may feature during the final game of the season against Sunderland, as tweeted by Chelsea's official feed:
Although Mourinho wants the club legend to stay, he previously admitted the following, per David Hytner of the Guardian: "If the club decision is different to mine I will accept it."
Chelsea supporters applauded Liverpool captain Gerrard off of the pitch during their recent 1-1 draw, which saw him head home the Reds' equaliser. The Englishman is heading to the Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of his current contract and is preparing for his final encounter at Anfield on Saturday.

Mourinho paid tribute to him during his previous presser—reiterating he tried to sign the player three times, per BBC Sport—but he suggests Gerrard is about to receive a huge payoff for his loyalty. Delaney reported his comments:
The Portuguese boss also had some extremely kind words for Monday's rival, West Brom boss Tony Pulis, who has a reputation of getting teams out of trouble in the Premier League, per Delaney:
West Brom confirmed their safety from relegation with their recent 1-1 draw against Newcastle United. The Baggies are unbeaten in four, having scored victories over Crystal Palace and Manchester United in recent weeks.

Mourinho's squad may be boosted by the return of star striker Diego Costa, per Chelsea's feed:

Chelsea confirmed their Premier League title win nearly two weeks ago, so it's likely many at the club are thinking about the future. A summer of potentially massive spending awaits, but Mourinho played down the relevance of transfer rumours, per Delaney:
West Brom will likely pose a resilient, gutsy threat when the champions visit. It's possible the intensity of the game could dwindle due to neither side having much to play for, but neither Mourinho nor Pulis take kindly to losing.
Goals from Costa and Eden Hazard sank West Brom 2-0 in November, a match which also saw Claudio Yacob sent off. As such, Pulis' men will be looking to put on a final show to remember for the Hawthorns crowd this season.






