"Eventually I'll come out on top. Against all odds" - Chelsea captain Reece James sends strong message to fans after another injury setback
Reece James has sent an emotional message to Chelsea fans after picking up another hamstring injury. He has vowed to come back stronger and has thanked the fans for their support.
Taking to Instagram, James posted a story for the fans who have been supporting him for what he is going through. The full-back hinted that he would be out for a short time but should be back within a month for the festive period. He posted:
"Hello all, I hope and wish you're all well. This message is to the people that understand and have respect for what I'm going through. I appreciate you so much, your support and kind messages go further than you could ever imagine. And just to touch on me... I'm okay, been better and also been worse. Another challenge ahead accepted. Eventually I'll come out on top. Against all odds. Lastly, I'd like to touch on the festive period coming, these times are tough for everyone! I wish you all a happy and peaceful festive season."
Reece James missed 11 matches this season due to a hamstring injury despite undergoing surgery last season and missing 29 games. He has missed as many as 35 matches previously due to hamstring issues in his Chelsea career.
What happened to Chelsea captain Reece James? Enzo Maresca provides update
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that Reece James will miss their Premier League match against Leicester City this weekend. He shared that the club captain would be the only injury worry and told the media via Football.London:
"We have just one injured player, that is Reece. He felt something and we don't want to take any risks for the weekend. He is the only one that is not available for this weekend. The rest, some of them are better, some of them are still a doubt and we need to wait. Today is the first session we do with all the players [returning] from international. So we will see after today's session."
When quizzed about the injury, Maresca added:
"Hamstring. It's a muscular problem. We don't want to take any risks for this weekend and hopefully it's not something long."
Maresca claimed it could be a small issue and did not rule out the possibility of James returning next week, saying:
"No, as I said, he felt something. He has to be out, for sure this weekend and then we’ll see. At the moment we don’t know how long. Then we’ll see."
Chelsea are third in the Premier League table with 19 points from 11 games, nine adrift of leaders Liverpool.