Chelsea's Thiago Silva set for SIX WEEKS on the sidelines with ankle injury as Graham Potter's bad luck continues
- Silva could be out until April
- Suffered knee injury against Spurs
- Chelsea face Leeds and Dortmund
WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazilian defender was forced off during Chelsea's 2-0 loss at the hands of Tottenham on Sunday. The 38-year-old has undergone scans on his knee, and according to the Evening Standard, the club fears he will be out until April with medial cruciate ligament damage.
The news comes as a huge blow for the Blues, who are due to face Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday before welcoming Borussia Dortmund to Stamford Bridge for a crucial Champions League round of 16 second-leg tie. They are currently trailing the German giants 1-0 on aggregate.
WHAT THEY SAID: An official statement released by Chelsea on Tuesday morning reads: "Having sustained a knee injury during the first half of Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, Thiago underwent further assessment and a scan on his return to the training centre on Monday. Scan results from those assessments have confirmed damage to Thiago’s knee ligaments and he will now work closely with the club’s medical department during his rehabilitation to return to action as soon as possible."
An update on Thiago Silva. ⤵️
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 28, 2023
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Silva stood up as Chelsea captain against Tottenham after club skipper Cesar Azpilicueta went off with a nasty head injury against Southampton last week. Unfortunately, he could only stay on the pitch for 19 minutes before being substituted for Wesley Fofana.
AND WHAT'S MORE: Chelsea have failed to win in their last six matches in all competitions, and head coach Graham Potter is seeing his position questioned after an extravagant January transfer window that saw him bring in the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile. Should Silva's injury recovery timeframe be confirmed, he is set to miss six matches across all competitions for the struggling Blues, who are currently down in 10th in the Premier League table.
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WHAT NEXT FOR GRAHAM POTTER? While Potter has received backing from Todd Boehly and the board despite a series of poor results, the next couple of encounters could prove to be a defining period for the manager, and Silva's absence won't help his cause.