Chelsea captain Reece James has encountered another setback, injuring his hamstring during training, according to Blues manager Enzo Maresca.
The 24-year-old, who had missed a significant portion of last season after undergoing hamstring surgery to address recurring injuries, had only recently returned to action last month.
While Maresca downplayed concerns about a prolonged absence, he confirmed that James will miss Saturday’s match against Leicester.
He said: “We have just one injured player and that’s Reece [James] who unfortunately felt something small in training two days ago and we don’t want to take a risk for the weekend.
“It’s a hamstring, muscular problem. We will see, we don’t know for how long, for sure [we want him fit for longer]. At the moment it is not happening but we hope it will happen soon.
“He is out this weekend but hopefully he can be back soon. It’s probably difficult that he can be available for the Conference League [next Thursday], but hopefully soon.”
The likes of Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto and Romeo Lavia are all available despite pulling out of international duty last week.
But there is caution around Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez with Maresca saying his starting team will “not be at 100%”, with those travelling from international duty in South America completing just one training session on Friday before the match.
James’ injury woes continue
Reece James has now endured his eighth hamstring injury in just four years, according to Transfermarkt data.
In addition, he has faced multiple other injuries, including six to his knee, thigh, and ankle, as well as a period of illness.
When he returned to action against Liverpool in October, it had been 562 days since James last played a full 90 minutes in the Premier League.
His following match, against Newcastle a week later, marked his first complete game in over a year.
Since joining Chelsea’s senior squad in the 2019-20 season, James’ longest run of consecutive matches is six, achieved in May 2021.
His highest tally of league starts in a single season was 25, but last season, injuries and two red cards limited him to just 482 minutes.
In December, James underwent surgery in Finland, aimed at permanently resolving his recurring injury problems.
However, he has already faced a second setback this season, having initially sustained the injury during Chelsea’s final pre-season match against Real Madrid in the United States.
James has also not been involved with England since March 2023.
While in the US he was asked about his goals for the coming season. He replied: “I have one goal. My goal is to stay on the pitch.”