AFCON 2025
Chelsea defender Reece James faces another spell on the sidelines due to a recurring hamstring issue.
The club captain has struggled with injuries since the 2022-23 season, managing only 30 Premier League appearances.
James had recently regained fitness, featuring in four consecutive games before the November international break. He was expected to start against Leicester City on Saturday, following a two-week break after his substitute appearance against Arsenal on November 10.
However, head coach Enzo Maresca revealed at a press conference that James suffered a fresh hamstring setback in training on Tuesday. Maresca stated:
“We have just one injured player, that is Reece. Unfortunately, he felt something small and we don’t want to take any risks for the weekend. Hopefully, it’s not something long.”
He added, “He felt something, he has to be out. For sure, this weekend, and then we’ll see. We don’t know for how long.”
Maresca acknowledged James’s frustration with recurring injuries, saying,
“He has to try and avoid as much as he can, but sometimes things happen even if you want to avoid that. Hopefully, he can be available for the next one, but he is not available for this one.”
