Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as Chelsea handed a new injury worry ahead of taking on Unai Emery’s side at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana (Image: Stephen White – CameraSport via Getty Images)
Chelsea have been handed a fresh injury blow ahead of their upcoming clash with Aston Villa after Wesley Fofana was forced to withdraw from the France squad.
Villa face an important game at Stamford Bridge after the international break as Unai Emery’s side continue their quest to enter the top half of the table. Goal difference is what separates the two sides, with Villa’s win over Bournemouth closing the gap on Graham Potter’s men, following their draw with Everto
Chelsea may still hold hopes of producing a win streak that would secure European football for next season but face a stern test against an in-form Villa side. The west London club will be without several players against Villa, including Fofana, after the centre-back was forced to miss out on his first call-up for Les Bleus.
The France national team confirmed on Sunday that both Fofana and Arsenal’s William Saliba had withdrawn and been replaced with Monaco’s Axel Disasi and OGC Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo. Fofana was substituted in the 87th minute against Everton on Saturday, with Chelsea boss Potter confirming the defender was fatigued and feeling his hamstring.
His absence will be keenly felt by Chelsea, with veteran Thiago Silva already missing the team’s last three league games after picking up a knee injury. Potter has also been without Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling as they make their respective ways back to fitness, confirming that both would miss out on the England camp, despite Mount getting a call-up.
Experienced defender Cesar Azipilicueta may re-enter the fold against Villa but has been sidelined for the last four league games, after initially being ruled out with concussion before suffering a separate injury setback. Similarly, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy recently returned to training after undergoing an operation on a broken finger in January but is yet to be part of a matchday squad.
Striker Armando Broja is a long-term absentee, though, after rupturing a knee ligament against Villa in a winter friendly during the World Cup break.
