Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino makes big claim on Reece James’ return from injury ahead of Nottingham Forest clash
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has highlighted the timeline of club captain Reece James' return from injury. He explained the status of the right-back's recovery in his pre-match press conference before the game against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday, May 11.
James was substituted after just 26 minutes in the Blues' 0-3 defeat to Everton in December 2023. He underwent surgery to fix a recurring hamstring injury and has not featured since.
James has been highly injury-prone throughout his career. Injuries to his ankle, hamstring, and knee have forced him to sit out almost 120 games for club and country so far. This season, he has made just nine appearances, with a solitary assist to his name.
Talking about the prospect of James' return against Nottingham Forest, Pochettino said:
We need to see today but maybe he can be available in the squad, yes. The most important thing is for him to be there with us. Always to have your captain is a massive boost. We have an amazing relationship and he is an amazing player. It's not easy when you come from a long-term injury. If he can play five, 10, 15, 20 [minutes] or half an hour, that would be amazing.
Chelsea must win all their remaining games to secure a place in the Conference League, or potentially even the Europa League if other results go their way. With the Blues sitting seventh in the Premier League table at the moment, the addition of James into their squad would give them a massive boost.
"It's good to be optimistic" - Mauricio Pochettino remains positive despite Chelsea's injury crisis this season
In a pre-match press conference before their game against Nottingham Forest, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino expressed his optimism about the Blues' project, despite an ongoing injury crisis at the club.
Chelsea have been struggling with injuries to other key players throughout the course of the season. Christopher Nkunku missed a major chunk of games at the start of the season, and Romeo Lavia has played just 30 minutes since he arrived from Southampton in the summer.
Lesley Ugochukwu has been out with a hamstring injury since December but has returned to training. Robert Sanchez has also missed over 20 games due to knee issues, while Carney Chukwuemeka has missed over 30 games with knee and ankle injuries.
Ben Chilwell and Enzo Fernandez are currently sidelined and have previously missed major parts of the season. Meanwhile, Wesley Fofana is expected to be out for the whole season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.
Even after all these setbacks, Pochettino expressed optimism while talking about the overall fitness of the squad with a few players set to return from injury. He said:
"Nearly all of the players are available at a good time. It's good to be optimistic. When you arrive to a new club, a new project, you want to work with the whole squad to increase the level."