Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has confirmed that Brazilian forward Estevao Willian will be unavailable for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Newcastle United after failing to recover in time from injury.
The teenage sensation has been out of action since suffering a hamstring injury ahead of the Blues league meeting with Burnley last month, forcing him to miss that clash which ended 1-1.
The 18-year-old has now missed their last three league matches, as well as the FA Cup win over Wrexham and the midweek defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League.
He will now miss his fourth league game in a row when Chelsea welcome Newcastle to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Speaking ahead of the clash during his pre-match press conference on Friday, Rosenior confirmed that the youngster will sit out the clash, but could return for the second leg clash against PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“Estevao is still a little bit further away. We want to be careful with Estevao because of the nature of his hamstring injury”, the Chelsea boss said.
“The last thing we want to do is rush him back and see the injury recurring. So, we will see what he’s like for Tuesday’s game against PSG.”
Meanwhile, the Blues have been given a positive boost with the return of Jamie Gittens, who has been out since suffering a hamstring injury in January.
“Jamie is back involved, which is great news”, Rosenior added.
Chelsea are hoping to end their winless run against Newcastle United, which has now extended to three games across all competitions.
A win would keep them in touch with their rivals in the top-four race and would also boost their confidence after that heavy defeat in midweek.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
