Chelsea get Caicedo boost but Gittens ruled out for Bournemouth
Xabi Alonso says Moises Caicedo is ready to face Bournemouth after Chelsea held him back against Brentford, giving the Blues a timely boost for their return to Premier League action.
Caicedo ready as Chelsea receive five further fitness updates
Alonso confirmed Caicedo has trained well and feels much better ahead of Saturday’s match at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea chose not to risk the midfielder against Brentford, and the manager said he is now fit to return.
Alonso said Caicedo was “ready to go” at his pre-match press conference, as reported by football.london. The update also covers Joao Pedro, Reece James, Cole Palmer, Marco Palestra and Jamie Gittens, with five players available or expected to be available and Gittens ruled out.
Joao Pedro, James and Palmer were able to train during the week, while Palestra also trained and was ready to go. Palmer had trained during the previous week and was feeling better; Alonso said Chelsea had not rushed him and that being fully fit was the priority.
Gittens is the exception. Alonso said the winger picked up an ankle injury during the international break and would be out for a few weeks. Chelsea’s Bournemouth team news had carried uncertainty around several of these players, but Alonso’s update gives the squad picture more clarity.
Caicedo’s absence against Brentford was a deliberate precaution. Alonso said he regretted taking a risk with him against Brighton, and that Chelsea wanted to avoid repeating that decision before the midfielder was feeling better. The manager added that the team had missed Caicedo’s quality, importance and dynamism.
That makes his return particularly welcome as Chelsea look to end a winless run of three Premier League matches. Alonso described the other returning players as key and said they could have a big impact, but did not confirm which of them would start against Bournemouth.
Caicedo’s managed return follows the decision to leave him out against Brentford, while the time available during the break allowed Chelsea to work with him. The midfielder’s recovery and availability have been part of the wider team-news picture ahead of the fixture.
Alonso’s earlier fitness decision before Brentford provides the context for Caicedo’s return: Chelsea opted for caution, and now have him back in contention.
In other news…
Chelsea host Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon after the three-week international break. Alonso said the returning players would be good for the match, but left the starting selection open.
The Blues have five Premier League fixtures before the next international break. Alonso said Chelsea want and need a win against Bournemouth.
