Joao Pedro could return as Chelsea target Bournemouth win
Chelsea expect Joao Pedro to be fit for the visit of Bournemouth once the international break ends, despite the Brazilian sitting out Friday’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford with a reported knee injury.
Joao Pedro set for Brentford and Brazil absence but Bournemouth return expected
Joao Pedro missed training in the days following Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Hull City, a game in which he played the full 90 minutes and scored a late equaliser despite picking up the issue. He then took no part in the Brentford defeat, with reports from ESPN in Brazil suggesting a recovery period of around three weeks.
That timeline is expected to rule him out of Brazil’s coming pair of friendlies, starting with Australia, meaning his involvement with the Selecao this month is off the table. Chelsea have not put out their own medical bulletin on the injury, and Xabi Alonso gave little away before Brentford beyond confirming Pedro would face a late fitness test.
It’s a frustrating blow given the start Pedro has made to the season. Three goals and three assists in four league appearances had made him one of the first names on the teamsheet, and the impact of his absence on Chelsea’s attack was obvious at Brentford.
Danny Welbeck deputised up front but drew a blank and struggled to replicate the link-up play Pedro has built with Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer this season. Chelsea are now winless in three league matches, and that run has turned the Bournemouth fixture after the break into a must-win affair.
On the fixtures directly affected: Pedro has already missed the loss at Brentford, and he’s expected to sit out Brazil’s upcoming friendlies too. All being well with his recovery, Chelsea are optimistic he’ll be back and available when Bournemouth visit Stamford Bridge once the Premier League resumes.
There’s no official confirmed return date from the club, so it remains a case of waiting through the international break to see how Pedro’s knee responds to treatment. If the three-week estimate holds, the timing works out almost perfectly for Chelsea’s number nine to be back leading the line against Bournemouth.
In other news…
Read more on how Joao Pedro’s injury is affecting Chelsea’s attacking plans as Alonso weighs up his options up front.
Catch up on the build-up and team news from Chelsea’s defeat at Brentford for the full picture before the international break.
