Chelsea handed Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech injury boost ahead of Carabao Cup final against Liverpool
According to Nathan Gissing on Twitter (h/t Football.London), Chelsea have been handed major boosts after the latest injury updates on Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech alongside others ahead of Sunday’s final. The Blues will take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup as they look to add another trophy to their already stacked collection under Thomas Tuchel.
Kovacic and Ziyech had to be substituted after picking up knocks during the 2-0 win against LOSC Lille in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie earlier this week. Initially, there were major concerns, but it would appear that both players are on their way to making a full recovery.
It is claimed that Ziyech and Kovacic are absolutely fine at this moment, and their injuries as “nothing serious” due to being just “impact” blows. The former Real Madrid man got a kick in the back, whereas the 28-year-old picked up a knock on his Achilles.
Moreover, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi are also expected to return to the team training sessions later today. James has been out since December, having torn his hamstring during the 1-1 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion. Hudson-Odoi, on the other hand, had a problem with his Achilles and is now on the mend.
Finally! some good news
Losing two of our best players during the Champions League knockout round nearly gave us a heart attack in the build-up to the highlight anticipated match on Sunday. Based on this update, both of them could be available and might even feature from the start against the Reds.
James has been out for a long time and even if he is deemed full fit, it is reasonable to think that Tuchel could decide to take it slow with the defender. After all, that would reduce the risk of relapse, and we would not want him sidelined once again.
More Chelsea News
- Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku shares his view after being dropped against LOSC Lille
- Chelsea cede ground in contract talks with Antonio Rudiger
- Transfer News: Sevilla defender Jules Kounde wants to join Chelsea next summer
Hudson-Odoi was performing well before the unfortunate injury halted his good run of form. His return would add more bite to the attack, which we have failed to consistently perform. It remains to be seen how the Chelsea quartet’s situation will develop in the days before the cup final.
That being said, we could get a fair idea about the matter based on the pictures that will be released from these training sessions. Finally, we can get a firm update from Tuchel if the subject gets addressed during the pre-match press conference.