Enzo, Sterling & Colwill: Chelsea injury news and return dates ahead of Man City clash

Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea are currently on an eight-match unbeaten run, and while results haven’t necessarily been ideal, the 6-0 thrashing of Everton on Monday evening has still offered the sense of a club heading broadly in the right direction for the first time in a while. But for all of the progress, there are still a remarkable number of injuries for the club to work through.

There are no fewer than 10 players currently on the injury list ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, a game which would be a stern test of Chelsea’s form even with a fully fit squad.

The club have generally kept the details of their players’ injuries and recovery timetables under wraps this season, but we’ve collected all of the latest information on the potential absentees and their likely return dates below.

Enzo Fernández

The most expensive player in British history missed the match against Everton and is “under assessment” ahead of Saturday’s game at the Etihad. The club haven’t confirmed the nature of the problem but reports in the Argentine media suggest that he has an inflammation in his adductor – the group of muscles between the thigh and pelvis. He didn’t train in the run-up to Monday’s match but Pochettino had suggested during his pre-match media rounds there had been some chance of his playing, which implies a decent chance that he’s ready to go this weekend.

Axel Disasi

The former Monaco defender has had a patchy first season at Stamford Bridge and is another doubt for the FA Cup clash after picking up a knock. Chelsea have not confirmed the nature of the issue, but as with Fernández, Pochettino had suggested that the problem was relatively minor, although he too missed the game against Everton in the end.

Raheem Sterling

Sterling missed both the Everton game and the 2-2 draw with Sheffield United due to a back issue followed by illness. Details are scarce once again, although Pochettino did say he had been “suffering from vomiting,” although no further prognosis is available. The back problem, at least, is believed to have cleared up, so he should be ready to play once the illness subsides.

Robert Sánchez

Like Sterling, the Spanish goalkeeper has endured both fitness and illness issues recently. He is believed to have recovered from the injury problems that have sidelined him for most of 2024 but is now under the weather as well, and as such his return to action has been delayed. In any case, it remains to be seen whether he will displace Đorđe Petrović once he is fully fit – the Serbian goalkeeper seems likely to start on Saturday regardless.

Levi Colwill

The England defender has been one of Chelsea’s standout players this season but has been out for a month now with a toe injury, which also kept him out of Gareth Southgate’s squad for the recent international break. Chelsea have only said that he is “continuing to undergo rehabilitation” and no return date has been set, meaning that it’s impossible to put a timeline on his recovery as it stands.

Christopher Nkunku

The French striker has missed the vast majority of the season with a string of injury problems and is now absent with a hamstring injury. Pochettino has expressed doubts over his availability for the final month of the season, saying that he still doesn’t know if Nkunku will play again this season: “At the moment we do not know when it is possible to start to train with the team. At the moment he is not training with us.”

Noni Madueke

The in-form winger appeared to pick up a knock during Monday’s 6-0 win and was substituted as a result, although he had appeared to be signalling that he was OK to continue before that happened. Madueke went straight down the tunnel after he was taken off but was back on the bench before the end of the game. It seems unlikely that he has a serious injury, but the club have not offered any comment on the matter as yet.

Lesley Ugochukwu

The young midfielder hasn’t played since Christmas Eve thanks to an ongoing concern over his hamstring. The 20-year-old is facing a race against the clock to be back in time for the end of the season, with reports suggesting a mid-May return date. It looks likely that his next appearance in blue will come in 2024/25.

Reece James

Like Ugochukwu, James has been out of action since December with a hamstring problem and the club have declined to offer updates since. There is no word on whether he is likely to play again before the end of the current campaign.

Roméo Lavia

The summer signing has been plagued by injuries and has managed just 32 minutes in the Premier League since arriving from Southampton – and he won’t add to that tally thanks to a serious thigh injury. He is expected to be back to fitness in June, with the club hoping that he will be able to play a full role next year.

Wesley Fofana

Another big-money signing who has endured a torrid time with injuries, Fofana suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season and has missed the entire campaign as a consequence. He will not play until next season as he continues his rehabilitation.