Chelsea FC Injuries Start To Bite Ahead of Key Matches

More bad news on the Chelsea injuries front this morning, ahead of two key games this week in both the Champions League and English Premier League. Despite both Santos Ramires and Andre Schurrle both being able to train on Monday at the club’s Cobham training facility, Chelsea FC manager Jose Mourinho has declared that the Champions League group stage match against Maribor at the Bridge tomorrow evening is still too close to enable the pair to be considered.

Both Andre Schurrle and Ramires had hoped to feature in the clash against Crystal Palace Saturday, but failed late fitness tests ahead of the trip across London. It’s particularly frustrating for Ramires, having been out of action since limping out of the Manchester City match in September with a suspected groin strain.

Similarly John Obi Mikel is also declared unfit for selection after picking up a foot injury whilst playing for Nigeria last week and will certainly miss the Maribor tie and possibly the trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United also.

Ramires, Schurrle and Mikel are of course in addition to Diego Costa who is still suffering from a problematic hamstring injury that he picked up while on international duty with Spain.  Drogba and Dominic Solanke are both expected to be called up as substitutes for the game on Tuesday.

Quite whether Costa will play Saturday is yet to be determined. The striker had completed some light training on return from the Spanish national squad and appeared to be moving quite well, yet Mourinho has declared that his main forward may not be fit enough to face United on Saturday.

We all know how much Mourinho likes to spring the ‘odd surprise’ in the run up to a major game, so should we expect Costa to play? Give us your opinion in the poll below…