Spain call up Malaga forward Juanmi after Chelsea striker Diego Costa suffers injury

Spain have called up Malaga striker Juan Miguel Jiménez López Juanmi ahead of the upcoming national team games against Ukraine and the Netherlands with Chelsea striker Diego Costa expected to pull out of the squad due to an injury.

The Chelsea forward was forced to leave the field in the 75<sup>th minute of the 3-2 victory over Hull City on Sunday 22 March after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring problem he already had earlier in the campaign.

Having been named in Spain's squad for upcoming internationals against Ukraine on 28 March and Netherlands on 31 March, Mourinho quickly played down any speculation about the timing of the injury.

"I was going to play Loic [Remy] with Diego when Diego gave us an indication he couldn't carry on," Mourinho said. The manager was forced to replace Costa with Remy with his side needing a goal, with the score locked at 2-2.

"[Costa] has a muscular problem – no doubt about it. When the team needs goals and the striker comes off with 15 minutes left it is because he knows clearly he has an injury."

The Brazilian-born Costa missed the two previous national team games against Belarus and Germany in November in similar circumstances, drawing criticism about his lack of commitment to the national side from international teammates such as Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos.

While Mourinho indicated after the game it was too early to say the length of the injury, the Spain national team claimed that Costa was going to undergo a scan in London on Monday morning before making a decision on whether the striker is available for the upcoming national team games.

"Chelsea's medical staff have already been in contact with the medical services of the Spanish FA on Diego Costa's situation. The striker limped off with 15 minutes to play after scoring his team's second goal in Chelsea's 3-2 win at Hull City," the statement said.

"Spanish-Brazilian striker Diego Costa will undergo medical tests on Monday morning. The medical report will be sent to the medical services of the Senior squad for its assessment."

And now, even before making a decision on Costa, Spain have decided to call up Juanmi, in a sign that the Chelsea striker is expected to miss both games.