Midfielder Moises Caicedo was missing from the squad in Chelsea’s draw against AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino had revealed in a press conference before the weekend that Caicedo returned back from international duty with an injury and was a doubt for the game against the Cherries.
He then confirmed before the game that the Ecuadorian is missing from the squad completely due to the injury. He said: “Moises Caicedo arrived back from international duty with a knock in his knee.
“We need to assess him in the next few days but he wasn’t available for today, that’s why he is not here,” the Argentine added.
There has been no official word from either the player or the club with regards to the extent of the midfielder’s injury but it has been reported that Caicedo is expected to be back for Chelsea’s home game next weekend against Aston Villa.
If these reports are true, it would suggest that the 21-year-old’s injury is not a serious one. Pochettino will surely be hoping that is the case as he simply cannot afford to lose another player to injury for a long period of time.
Caicedo has not had the greatest start to life at Chelsea since arriving from Brighton and Hove Albion for a record £100 million initial fee and he will be hoping for only a short spell on the sidelines.
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Pochettino has had to endure a horrific start to life at Stamford Bridge himself as his team has gone through a poor start to the season. The Blues have won only one out of their five league games this season which sees them down in 15th place in the league with just five points.
While the manager has struggled to implement his preferred style of play, he has also been unlucky with injuries. Caicedo became the 12th addition to the club’s extensive injury list.
Pochettino also provided updates on the fitness of Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke, who were also missing from the squad against the Cherries. “Marc had a fever yesterday, so was at home and not training, and today it continued. Noni came back from his national team [England U21] with a muscle problem,” said the manager.
While Cucurella could return soon, the extent of Madueke’s injury is unknown.
The Blues will face Villa in their next league game as they look to kick-start their season. They will then face off against Brighton in the third round of the Carabao Cup on September 27 before travelling to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham in the league, rounding-off a tough run of games.