Enzo Maresca confirms fresh Chelsea injury blow after Benfica win | OneFootball

The Blues will be without a key midfielder until after the international break

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dom Smith

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He was left out of the squad for Chelsea’s 1-0 Champions League win over Benfica on Tuesday night, and missed training ahead of the tie.

In his pre-match media duties, Maresca said the Brazilian would need to be assessed before the match.

But speaking afterwards, he confirmed he would not return until after the October international break: “We lost Andrey Santos, who will be out until after the international break.

“We have seven or eight players out. It is difficult to pick the same XI, but it is what it is. We need to adapt.”

Santos joins a variety of other Chelsea players on the sidelines. He watched the Benfica win from behind the Chelsea substitutes’ bench, sat alongside Dario Essugo, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Wesley Fofana. Cole Palmer, resting in the hopes of mitigating a niggling groin injury, watched from an executive box.

Fofana is recovering from a concussion, while Adarabioyo has a minor calf injury. Both are due to return to play after the international break.

To further complicate Maresca’s situation, he is also dealing with suspensions. Trevoh Chalobah will miss Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Liverpool after being sent off against Brighton, while Joao Pedro is set to miss a Champions League match against Ajax after seeing red on Tuesday.

Maresca said Chelsea’s decision-making was hurting them: “Sometimes it's better to concede the goal or the chance because then it's 11v11, you have 40 more minutes.”