Five most important international matches for Chelsea players this break

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Chelsea’s Brazilian defender Thiago Silva celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on September 19, 2021. – – RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

If you’re a Chelsea fan more than an international fan (who could blame you?), then an international break is a pretty boring time. At the very least, World Cup Qualifying adds some stakes to these matches that just aren’t present outside of summer tournaments (sorry Nations League, you’re glorified friendlies). So, to help cover the gap between Chelsea matches without playing Football Manager 2022 and losing touch reality, here is a handy guide of the matches with the most on the line and/or the most quality that should see Chelsea players feature.

5. Brazil (Thiago Silva) versus Colombia, 11 November

This match’s inclusion is more of a reflection of CONEMBOL’s overall quality than the match’s actual importance. Brazil sits in first for qualifying with about twice as many points as Colombia, who sit fourth (just good enough for direct qualification). This match makes the cut, however, simply because of Colombia’s overall quality.

Colombia is regularly a dark horse in tournaments even if they are rarely winners of them. Their struggles in CONEMBOL come down mainly to the opposition in front of them such as Brazil. And while this current Colombia doesn’t quite have the star power of previous iterations, they have just enough to be dangerous on a good day.

If Thiago Silva is going to sit out a match this break, it could be this one. He’s still highly trusted in the national team, but recent breaks have shown a management of his fitness. Brazil has plenty in reserve to still be very competitive against Colombia and it would take something special to overturn Brazil right now.

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