Posted: April 17, 2022 5:15 pm
Last updated: April 17, 2022 5:20 PM
Chelsea, led by Thomas Tuchel, suffered, on Sunday evening, an early blow on the individual front during the club’s meeting with Crystal Palace.
The player who was forced out of the proceedings? Mateo Kovacic.
In the first 25 minutes of Wembley matches, Croatia international Kovacic was suspended due to an unspecified fitness problem.
In turn, the former Real Madrid player, of course a key figure in Chelsea’s midfield, was left with no choice but to leave prematurely.
Meanwhile, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been chosen to replace him:
Mateo Kovacic was replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek as we forced an early change.
🟡 0-0 🦅 [25’] #EmiratesFACup
– Chelsea (ChelseaFC) April 17 2022
Hazem Parking Palace
The final blow to the club on the personnel front comes amid what has proven to be a thoroughly testing evening for Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel so far.
Pensione’s efforts to smash a stubborn Crystal Palace side were unsuccessful throughout the first half, with Edward Mendy’s brilliance preventing Patrick Vieira from opening the scoring themselves.
A wonderful response by Mendy to deprive Kouyati of a shot! 👏
🟡 0-0 🦅 [36’] #EmiratesFACup
– Chelsea (ChelseaFC) April 17 2022
Chelsea, just days after being expelled from the Champions League by Real Madrid, will need to up their game in a major way over the course of the second half, if they are to hope to secure their place in the FA Cup. The final confrontation with Liverpool led by Jurgen Klopp in just one month.
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