Chelsea’s Rosenoir rules out Cucurella from Burnley’s game

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has been speaking to the media before Saturday’s Premier League game against Burnley at Stamford Bridge (15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

Rosenior responded strongly when asked about the incident of alleged racist abuse targeted at Vinicus Junior in the Champions League game between Real Madrid and Benfica: “If any player or any coach is ever found guilty of racism, they shouldn’t be in the game. It’s as simple as that.”

Rosenior confirmed Reece James and Cole Palmer “trained really well today” and are “are both fully fit and both available for selection at the moment”, but their fitness is “based on day by day”.

He did not give a return date for Marc Cucurella, who will not be available: “I can’t given an exact timeframe. He suffered a hamstring injury just before half-time in the Leeds game. It’s a real shame because he’s an outstanding player, and one of the best left-backs in the world. But we have Jorrel [Hato] and we have Malo [Gusto] who can play on that side, so we have really good players that can cover.”

Several first-team players used a free midweek to travel to Dubai: “I looked at the players’ schedules over the past 18 months. That was my idea. I thought it was the right thing for the players considering the workload they’ve had. I encouraged the players to go and get some sun. Sometimes it is the best way to rejuvenate.”

On captain James’ relationship with former skipper John Terry: “John is a legend of the club. With the experience he has got, it’s an amazing thing for Reece to tap into. You can learn from anyone, but learning from people that have been there and done it is the best way.”

On the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League:: “It’s February. There is plenty of time. It’s not going to be simple. This is a strong league. We have to take care of our business regardless of what time we play.”

Asked how competitive the league is in the wake of leaders Arsenal‘s drawing at bottom side Wolves, Rosenior said:” I don’t think it’s just complacency. I thought Wolves were outstanding yesterday. This is such a strong league now. What we have to do is focus on our own performance and prepare ourselves right. Whether we’re playing Wolves, Burnley, Manchester City or Arsenal, our process is the same.”

On Liam Delap’s recent lack of goals: “That’s the first thing I look for in my strikers – people contributing to us winning games of football. All strikers want to score goals – that’s why they play the game – but Liam defends from the front amazingly well. If you look at most players and their careers, it’s usually the second season they take off. He’s had some injuries. I’m really happy with Liam.”