Chelsea Manager José Mourinho on Friday pivoted under persistent criticism of his demotion of the club’s team doctor this week, confirming that she would miss Sunday’s match against Manchester City but leaving open the possibility of her return to the bench.
The doctor, Eva Carneiro, and another member of the team’s medical staff, Jon Fearn, had enraged Mourinho by running onto the field to treat an injured player in the late stages of an opening-day game against Swansea City on Saturday. It was later reported that they had been barred from the bench for future matches and had their roles with the first team diminished, apparently as punishment.