Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has admitted he does not know when left back Marc Cucurella will be back available following a hamstring injury.
Initially withdrawn midway through the 2–2 draw with Leeds United, Cucurella was diagnosed with a muscular injury which did not appear to be particularly serious, given there were no visible signs of discomfort during his time on the pitch.
Predictably, Cucurella sat out the midweek victory over Hull City in the FA Cup, after which he confirmed the left back was not available for selection.
“At the moment, he’s not available,” Rosenior reflected.
“There’s an issue with his hamstring. I don’t know. I can’t give you a time frame on it at the moment.”
Cucurella at Risk of Missing London Derby
Chelsea will be determined not to take any unnecessary risks with Cucurella, a near-permanent starter whenever he is available.
As a result, it seems highly likely that he will also sit out this coming weekend’s visit from 19th-placed Burnley, who fell to mid-table League One outfit Mansfield Town in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.
Beyond the Burnley game is where Chelsea’s main concerns lie. On Sunday, March 1, Chelsea head to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in what could be a huge game in both the title race and battle for Champions League qualification. To go into that match without Cucurella would be an enormous blow to Rosenior.
Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Everton are all on a tricky schedule before the international break, after which Chelsea face both Manchesters City and United, The Blues simply cannot afford a lengthy absence for Cucurella.
In the Spaniard’s place, Rosenior will continue turning to summer signing Jorrel Hato, recruited specifically for this purpose, while French right back Malo Gusto has experience on the left if needed as emergency cover.
The margins in the race for Europe are so fine—just five points separate Manchester United in fourth and Brentford in seventh—and losing Cucurella at such a pivotal period could have a disastrous impact on Chelsea’s season.
