Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has admitted he is hoping Christopher Nkunku has avoided any serious damage to his knee after limping off injured during the recent friendly against Borussia Dortmund.
Nkunku enjoyed an impressive pre-season but saw his final game come to an abrupt end as he went down in the box midway through the first half, ultimately being forced to limp off the pitch with a knee injury.
With just ten days to go before Chelsea‘s Premier League opener against Liverpool, fans were understandably worried at the sight of their new signing in a knee brace, and Pochettino admitted further checks on Nkunku’s injury will be needed.
“The doctors are checking him, hopefully it is not a big issue but when he fell in the action maybe it was a penalty,” Pochettino explained.
“But he feels something in his knee, but hopefully it is not a big issue and that he can be quick with the team. Now we need a few days to assess him and until we get back to London it is difficult to know.”
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Many were quick to blame the ravaged playing surface at Chicago’s Soldier Field, which had hosted a record-breaking crowd for an Ed Sheeran concert just days earlier and clearly had not recovered in time for this game, but Pochettino felt Nkunku’s injury was more down to bad luck.
“I didn’t see the action but it is not about complaining,” he began. “Always we take some risks because the pitch is not perfect because they are using it for different sports and that is sometimes the risk of the tour, yes.
“But I think it was a bit unlucky in the situation but we cannot complain about the pitch and to blame the pitch for why he suffered the injury. For me it was bad luck.”
Despite the fitness scare, Pochettino insisted Chelsea will be prepared to get their campaign underway against Liverpool on 13 August.
“Should be ready,” he said. “It is not an option. There is only one option, to be ready and we are going to be ready.
“I think today we play a brilliant game, I think it was an exciting game against a very good team like Dortmund. I think we deserved to win but it’s not about the result, it’s about the feelings and performance and I think when we scored with Mason [Burstow] at the end it was a relief. I think to go back to the feeling, to lose the game was unfair.
“I think in the end it’s to build something and the feeling after five games on the tour are good. Now we need to keep working and evolving our way to play and yes, be ready to start the competition.”
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