Chelsea team news: Blues star injured and set to miss out for rest of the season

Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger will miss out rest of the season after suffering an injury. 

Chelsea have been dealt with a huge blow after Antonio Rudiger endured a knee injury against Liverpool earlier this month. He missed a week and featured in the starting lineup against Manchester United in the weekend, but the injury recurred which forced Sarri to substitute him in the second half in a game which ended in a draw.

The German International is set to undergo surgery on his knee in Rome today and will miss the rest of the campaign. The former Roma defender’s absence, as confirmed by the club, will prove a blow to Chelsea’s quest of lifting the Europa League and sneak into the top four spot which looks likely after picking up a favourable result against Solskjaer’s men. The extent of the layoff is yet to be known to the club officials.

Rudiger has made 41 appearances in all competitions this season and was the cardinal man in the backline for the Blues. He was part of the squad which went toe-to-toe with Manchester City in the League cup finals before agonizingly losing to them on penalties.

Fourth-placed Chelsea are two points ahead of their rivals Arsenal in the league table, but they face tricky ties against Watford and Leicester City. The Blues will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League Semifinals. The first leg will take place at Frankfurt on May 2nd, followed by the second leg in front of the home fans one week later.

With the likes of Sebastian Haller, Luka Jovic, and Ante Rebic, it would be tough for the Chelsea defence to contain that trio who have looked prolific in front of the goal this campaign. If they do manage to overcome the German outfit, an all-English affair and London derby could be on the cards if Arsenal beat Valencia in the other tie.

Andreas Christensen is expected to fill his void in the backline and the unwanted club captain Gary Cahill will be included in the squad till the end of the season.

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Chelsea will play Eintracht Frankfurt away from home on Thursday before taking on Watford at Stamford Bridge three days later.