Chelsea injury report and return dates ahead of Nottingham Forest blow
Chelsea injury report and return dates ahead of Nottingham Forest blow
Wednesday at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea narrowly defeated League Two opponent AFC Wimbledon to advance to the Carabao Cup third round.
James Tilley gave the visiting team the lead with a penalty kick after a foul by Robert Sanchez, but Noni Madueke’s penalty kick tied the score before halftime. In the second half, Enzo Fernandez came off the substitute to score the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory.
Now that attention has shifted back to the Premier League, the Blues are preparing for their third consecutive home encounter against Nottingham Forest. Despite Mauricio Pochettino’s desire to add a second league victory to last week’s, he will be without a few key players this week.
With that in mind, here are the most recent Chelsea injury updates and estimated return dates for Blues players.
Levi Colwill started the EFL Cup match against AFC Wimbledon, but was unable to finish the game after receiving a blow and pointing to his foot before being taken off. Pochettino appeared to provide a positive update in his press conference, although it remains to be seen if the juvenile will return in time to face Nottingham Forest this weekend.
Pochettino stated (30 August): “No, he is not injured. It’s not a major concern; it’s a minor issue. He has ice on his ankle, but it won’t be a concern this weekend.”
Date of anticipated return: N/A
Mykhailo Mudryk
Mudryk was absent from the Blues’ first training session last Wednesday, and the nature of his injury is unknown. He did however update supporters on social media with a cryptic message that suggested he would return to the teamsheet sooner rather than later.
Pochettino has stated (24 August): “I believe a few days. Tomorrow, he will not be accessible. Due to his extreme disappointment, he played 45 minutes against West Ham.
“He is a player we hope to assist in performing to his potential.” However, it is not a significant concern. Possibly a week or a few days.”
2 September is the anticipated resumption date for Nottingham Forest (H).
Lavia
The 19-year-old has yet to feature for the Blues under Pochettino because the manager wants him to reach the same level of fitness as the rest of the squad before he is fully involved.
What Pochettino said (on August 24): “He requires a few weeks to be ready for team participation. He is attempting to catch up to his colleagues. For Romeo, we must wait several weeks.”
Expected return date: September’s e
Reece James
Still recuperating from the hamstring injury he sustained in training two weeks ago, James updated his Instagram followers with a message promising he would return ‘better’. He was also observed sitting alongside Todd Boehly, John Terry, and Romeo Lavia at Stamford Bridge during the Luton match.
James stated on August 25: “Missing being out there but working hard to return physically and mentally stronger than before. Keep healthy, and I will see you soon. “The race continues,”
What Pochettino has said (18 August): “I feel sad because he is our commander. He was overjoyed to be the commander and brimming with vitality. I believe we will evaluate him on a daily basis as thoroughly as feasible. Certainly, he will become stronger than he was; we will assist him in becoming stronger than he was.”
Date of anticipated return: N/
Broja
Armando Broja has not been seen in a Blues uniform since sustaining an ACL injury against Aston Villa in a friendly last December. In the past week, he has returned to training with the senior team and is poised to compete with Nicolas Jackson for the starting position.
What Pochettino said on August 24: “We must also wait. The injury he sustained makes the final step difficult, despite the fact that he is near. The fact that he has trained well gives us hope.
“This is why we are evaluating the roster and everything that occurs. It is simple to assert that we need more offensive players, but I believe we already have offensive players who require rest.
“If you bring in a player who is unfit or who needs to adjust to the Premier League, you may have to endure the same amount of time as you did for Broja, Nkunku, or Carney. Then you will create chaos within the unit. Therefore, we are exerting great effort to analyze the circumstance.”
2 September is the anticipated resumption date for Nottingham Forest (H).
Benoit Badiashile
Badiashile, who missed the beginning of the season due to a hamstring injury he sustained at the end of the previous season, has recently returned to training and will be eager to contribute to Pochettino’s defensive depth as soon as possible.
2 September is the anticipated resumption date for Nottingham Forest (H).
Chukwuemeka.
The Chelsea midfielder scored the lone goal in the team’s 3-1 defeat to West Ham, but left the London Stadium on crutches before halftime after suffering a serious knee injury.
According to football.london’s sources, Chukwuemeka is expected to miss up to six weeks of action, but he may only miss five or six games due to upcoming international vacations.
What the club has stated: “I do not believe it will take months or even weeks to resolve. I hope we can rejoin the team as soon as feasible. He scored before sustaining an injury. Things occur that you cannot control.
October is expected to be the date of return
Christopher Nkunku
Since being substituted against Borussia Dortmund in the club’s final preseason match, Nkunku has been sidelined. Pochettino acknowledged that his absence in the first half of the season would be a significant blow to the Blues’ squad after he joined for over £60 million in the summer.
Pochettino has stated, “We feel terrible for him. He was performing well and was a crucial player for us. I believe the quality is there; acquiring one of the greatest offensive players who can play multiple positions is always a major concern for us. Now, we must refrain from dwelling on his injuries and remain optimistic about when he will be able to rejoin us and recover as quickly and effectively as possible.
“We are also working in the market, and we will mourn a player of this nature. The club is attempting to find a short-term, medium-term, or long-term solution to add the appropriate profile to the team so that it can perform well immediately.
What Nkunku has said (15 August): “You can imagine how disappointed I am not to be able to commence the season with my teammates. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t meet you folks at the Bridge. I will exert effort to regain my strength. It is only a question of time.”
The anticipated return date is January 2024
Wesley Fofana,
After tearing his ACL, Fofana will be out of action for a considerable amount of time.
Pochettino’s words: “Extremely unfortunate news. We are so depressed. We can only assist him, and we recognize how difficult it is for him to rejoin the team. We must assist him and wish him the best. The opposition is present, so we must keep going. The competition does not pause for anyone, so we must be prepared.
“I wish yes. You have all the evidence that this is challenging. He is changing in a different manner, but his recovery should go well, we hope.”
Return date anticipated for spring 2024
Chelsea injury report and return dates ahead of Nottingham Forest blow
