According to a recent report by Football.London, Chelsea midfield ace N’Golo Kante might be left out of Frank Lampard’s squad for their trip to AFC Ajax in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday evening. The Pensioners boss issued an update on the French talent’s injury last week when he said (via Football.London), “No, N’Golo’s not fit, he had a small groin issue in the warm-up to the first international game for France.
“We didn’t get him back until after the second game and he’s not fit for Saturday.”
Kante will be assessed ahead of the midweek European encounter versus Ajax, but it is understood that he is unlikely to recover in time (via Football.London). If the France international is not available, then it could be a bitter pill to swallow for Lampard as his injury absence will hurt Chelsea’s chances of securing a positive result away in Amsterdam.
Kante’s Injury-Ridden Start To This Campaign
The 28-year-old has been quite prone to injuries this season which has been frustrating for anyone associated with the West London club. He has still managed to feature in six matches for the Pensioners this term, scoring two goals in all competitions. Kante has also not shied away from his defensive duties as evidenced by his average of 2.3 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per game in the Premier League (stats via whoscored).
Why The Frenchman Would Have Been Ideal For The European Clash Vs Ajax
The Chelsea star has won the Premier League title once each with two different clubs. The former Leicester City midfielder was also triumphant at the 2018 FIFA World Cup last summer when he helped France win the competition in Russia to become the reigning champions of world football. Kante knows what it takes to taste success at the highest level so he would have been a real game-changer, in what looks like a tricky game, versus Ajax in midweek.
Kante’s Potential Unavailability: Huge Blow For Lampard?
The French midfielder has decent pace in his locker which allows him to cover a lot of ground across the pitch. He is capable of completing some lung-bursting dribbles from midfield and can score the odd goal from time to time. However, Kante is more renowned for his defensive capabilities as he can still be considered amongst the best defensive midfielders in Europe.
The Paris-born talent tends to time his tackles to perfection and can make some vital interceptions for his team in midfield. Therefore, Kante’s injury absence will be a massive blow for Chelsea heading into the match versus Erik ten Hag’s men.
