Carlo Ancelotti hands Chelsea a major double injury boost that will help hugely | OneFootball

Thankfully there is still one round of games left before the international break starts – but the squad announcements are already coming out to get us worried about the fortnight to come.

It’s started with some good news for Chelsea, however. Their influx of South American talent in the last couple of years has made the Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador announcements particularly interesting for Blues fans, and Carlo Ancelotti taking over the former has added another layer to it.

It’s good news from the Brazil camp today, from a Chelsea perspective. Ancelotti has decided to mix things up, and he’s excluded two injured Blues from his latest group.

Chelsea benefit as Ancelotti changes things up

Andrey Santos in preseason training. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)

“Obviously many of these [missing] players will be at the World Cup,” Ancelotti said in quotes picked up by the Evening Standard.

“But it is a list that also takes into account the injuries we have had in recent days. It is an opportunity for others to demonstrate their qualities.”

Andrey Santos missed our game against Benfica with a knock, and Joao Pedro has been carrying a minor issue for a few weeks. They’ve both been left out, and while the former is going to miss this Saturday’s game against Liverpool, they should both hopefully be fresh and ready in a couple of weeks when we take on Nottingham Forest after the break.

Estevao Willian has been called up – but he’s not picked up as many minutes so far this season and isn’t carrying an injury. We have more fit cover on the wings too.

Chelsea hope that other South American options survive trip

If Ecuador could do the same with Moises Caicedo and Argentina the same with Enzo Fernandez, we would really appreciate it…

But in reality, Pedro and Santos are the ones we really need fresh for the season ahead, so we’ll take what we can get.