Bad news as Tuchel confirms three “serious” injury update ahead of Leeds clash
Prior to this weekend’s match against Leeds, Thomas Tuchel just completed his pregame press conference. As usual, there was a lot of terrible news regarding injuries.
An update on N’Golo Kante, who left last weekend’s match against Tottenham clutching his hamstring with only a few minutes remaining, was the first item on the list.
In statements obtained by Football London, Tuchel acknowledged that the issue was “very serious.”
“We’re talking about weeks. So not good news. We are disappointed and sad because N’Golo was super important and was super fit. He will be out for several weeks.”
That’s bad news for Kante, bad news for Chelsea, but good news for players like Conor Gallagher, who will now get an earlier than expected chance to step up and impress in the first team, with the window still wide open.
It could yet prove to be a career defining moment for Gallagher, who was teetering on the brink or being sold, loaned or staying put.
The rest of injury news is less significant, but still affects Tuchel’s ability to be flexible and make changes this weekend.
“Armando [Broja] will be out for days and cannot come with us to Leeds. Mateo Kovacic as well, he’s still out with knee problems. Christian Pulisic had Achilles problems but he trained today. So let’s see [on him].”
Kovacic being out means a Jorginho-Gallagher pivot is almost certain, while the Broja absence means we will one again be playing with a false 9, with no 9 at all on the bench to come on later in the game.