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Chelsea’s all-time starting XI comprised of players who’ve worn masks

By Kevin Peacock

Chelsea's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta gestures during the FA Cup third-round football match between Chelsea and Scunthorpe United at Stamford Bridge in London on January 10, 2016. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP / JUSTIN TALLIS (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta gestures during the FA Cup third-round football match between Chelsea and Scunthorpe United at Stamford Bridge in London on January 10, 2016. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP / JUSTIN TALLIS (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 13 : Diego Costa of Chelsea wearing a protective face mask during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on February 13, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 13 : Diego Costa of Chelsea wearing a protective face mask during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on February 13, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images) /

Pedro (Attacking midfielder)

Pedro started the 2017/18 season wearing the now familiar black mask. The facial fractures he suffered saw him sent home early from a pre-season tour of China in July. The Spaniard was caught in the face by Arsenal’s David Ospina as the goalkeeper attempted to clear the ball during a pre-season “friendly.” The game in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium ended in a 3-0 victory for the Blues. Future Gunner Willian and Michy Batshuayi (x2) secured the win.

Diego Costa (Centre forward)

A blue-on-blue training ground collision between Diego Costa and then academy player Fikayo Tomori led to the Brazilian born Spaniard needing to go full-on ‘Zorro.’ Like Matic and Azpilicueta before him, it occurred during Chelsea’s annus horribilis 2015/16 season. Costa’s nose was broken in the incident, but that didn’t stop the Brazilian born Spaniard starting against Newcastle United two days later. Costa scored the first goal with five minutes gone. Chelsea won the game 5-1.

Fernando Torres (Centre forward)

It was another European tie that saw Fernando Torres spend seven weeks of footballing action behind the mask. It was March 2013 and the Blues were on a run that would lead to Europa League glory. The last 16 game against Steaua Bucharest was incident-packed for the Spaniard. Not only did he receive a kick in the face, but missed a penalty and perhaps more crucially, hit the goal that secured 3-2 aggregate win. Fellow Spaniard and all round good-guy, Juan Mata, snappily nicknamed the striker ‘Zorres.’

Honorable mentions

Not making the starting XI, but bench-warming with style whilst still donning the face protector, is Andreas Christensen and Demba Ba. The Dane was inadvertently elbowed on the nose by Manchester United’s Anthony Martial in February 2020. Ba received a broken nose having taken a boot to the face against his former club, Newcastle United, in February 2013.

Next. Grading Chelsea's signings from the 2020 summer window. dark

Whilst Chelsea players may occasionally find themselves mask-bound, let’s hope the coming months see the rest of the world less constrained by their use.

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