Christopher Nkunku’s hip injury will keep him out for longer than expected. Nkunku experienced a knee injury earlier this season and suffered a new injury in January. He was initially expected to be out for three weeks, but later reports suggested he could return sooner. However, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has stated that he is still recovering.
Mauricio Pochettino on Christopher Nkunku
Chelsea are playing against Middlesbrough this week in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg. Chelsea are currently behind by 1-0 after the first leg, so they need to beat Middlesbrough to go to Wembley. Mauricio Pochettino’s team won 1-0 against Fulham last weekend, earning important points for the Champions League qualification race. However, some key players might be unavailable for Chelsea in this match.
Nkunku couldn’t play for a big part of the season because he injured his knee in pre-season. When he came back, Pochettino said he was ‘worried’ about Nkunku’s situation, causing some concern.
“It’s true that now in the next few days, we are going to see the situation. That’s why I told you that I am a little worried. I still don’t have all the information about whether he is going to be available or not for a small initial period. We need to be very clinical to take some decisions to think and see how we fix the problem,” Pochettino said.
Pochettino has now shared the latest information of Nkunku’s injury.
“Nkunku is not available. It’s a shame. He’s still recovering. He suffered a little bit in his hip, now he’s recovering. It’s not a big issue. It’s just delayed the possibility of being available again,” he said.
🔵 Pochettino: “Nkunku is not available. It's a shame. He's still recovering”.
“He suffered a little bit in his hip, now he's recovering. It's not a big issue. It's just delayed the possibility of being available again”. pic.twitter.com/yanMoKsWlt
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 22, 2024
If Pochettino’s team beats Middlesbrough, it could help reduce stress for him and his young players. This victory would lead to a cup final at Wembley Stadium in February, either against Liverpool or Fulham.
“It is true, we cannot lie, this is a passport to go to the final to go to Wembley. It is a really important game for us. It’s really important for us, the club, for everyone who wants to be in the final. First of all, we need to beat a very good team that is Middlesbrough after a first leg that beat us,” Pochettino said about the match.
