Chelsea injury latest: Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana and more ahead of Fulham clash | OneFootball

Chelsea Injury Update Ahead of Fulham Clash

Chelsea’s season has rarely paused for breath, but even by Stamford Bridge standards, the club’s latest injury picture feels particularly untidy. With Enzo Maresca no longer at the helm and Chelsea actively searching for a new head coach, the medical updates arriving out of Cobham carry extra weight. The Blues need stability, and right now, stability begins at the back.

Marc Cucurella

Few players have enjoyed a more dramatic reassessment among supporters than Marc Cucurella. The Spaniard has grown into a tactical constant for Chelsea, offering width, bite and an underrated ability to invert into midfield when matches demand control over chaos. His absence, therefore, has been felt.

Cucurella last appeared for Chelsea in the December 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, where he was withdrawn in the second half after a hamstring tweak, an issue initially described as minor, but irritating enough to keep him sidelined since. He returned to training on Friday and travelled to the Etihad to support his teammates during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City, but remained unavailable for selection.

Caretaker manager McFarlane provided a cautious update without confirming availability: “Yeah, that is positive (that Cucurella trained on Friday). We’re undecided on [whether he can play], so I don’t really have the full information on that as of yet.” He later added, “I’m sure it will come out in the next couple of days.”

The positive signs are there, but Chelsea are clearly resisting the temptation to rush him. A January 7 return against City had been floated, but Chelsea’s visit to Craven Cottage for the Fulham clash now looks like the more realistic staging post for his reintegration.

Potential return date: January 7 vs Fulham (A)

Wesley Fofana

Wesley Fofana’s season has felt like a battle against his own body clock. In, out, nearly in again, and then out once more, the French centre back has shown he can be transformative for Chelsea’s defensive shape, provided he can string games together.

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Chelsea believed Fofana was on course to start against Manchester City before he was ruled out on the morning of the match with illness. McFarlane confirmed the defender’s condition in blunt terms: “Wes trained well yesterday but woke up today with a really high temperature so he’s ill and can’t play.”

The club have not clarified the severity of the fever, and unlike Cucurella, there is no working return date yet. While illness is typically less structurally concerning than soft tissue damage, the uncertainty remains, and uncertainty has been Fofana’s unwelcome companion this season.

Potential return date: Unknown

Robert Sanchez

Robert Sanchez joined Fofana on the Etihad absentee list after aggravating a minor muscle issue he first felt in the warm up against Bournemouth. McFarlane preserved the original quote regarding his condition: “Rob [Sanchez] felt his injury in the warm-up against Bournemouth, he played through it and trained on Friday, and then yesterday felt like he wasn’t right.”

Filip Jorgensen deputised well, keeping Chelsea competitive with key interventions.

Potential return date: January 7 vs Fulham (A)