“It comes down to severity” – Injury expert predicts when Mateo Kovacic can return to action for Chelsea after ligament injury
According to injury expert Ben Dinnery, Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic could make it back in time for the Blues' FA Cup final clash against Liverpool. The match is scheduled for 14 May at Wembley. The Croat picked up a ligament injury against Crystal Palace in the semi-finals of the competition on 17 April.
Speaking to Football Insider, the medical practitioner explained that he expected the 27-year-old to be out for weeks following his setback. He said:
“There is obviously ligament damage there, which tells us a lot about the problem. It comes down to severity and it looks like a possible grade two. In terms of timelines, we are indeed probably looking at around two to four weeks. But ultimately I don’t think it will be season-ending and I certainly would not rule him out for the FA Cup final."
A very young Mateo Kovacic meets his idol Luka Modric in 2007. https://t.co/cFtY9wyfx8
Chelsea are currently in the final stretch of their campaign and will hope to have the Croat available for selection. Kovacic has been a key part of the Chelsea setup since his arrival in 2018 on loan, becoming permanent the following season. He will be a welcome option for manager Thomas Tuchel heading into the final.
The Blues seem to have already sewn up Champions League qualification for next season as they are third in the Premier League. Tuchel, however, will hope to throw a spanner in Jurgen Klopp’s ambitions to lift a fantastic quadruple by snatching the FA cup from Liverpool's grasp.
The Blues lost to Leicester City in the FA Cup final last season and to Arsenal the previous season. They will hope that they are third time lucky.
Chelsea are struggling with a poor patch of form
The Blues are five points above fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand in the Premier League. They've also done rather well this season in terms of silverware. They have already picked up the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Supercup. They also reached the finals of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
However, their recent form will be troubling, as the side have won just three of their last five league games. Aside from a scintillating 6-0 win against Southampton, the Blues have lost against Brentford and Arsenal. They were also knocked out of the Champions League, losing 5-4 on aggregate to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.
Thomas Tuchel blamed Chelsea's pitch after their defeat to Arsenal 👀 https://t.co/5zpeeqFs5f
In their last six games in all competitions, the Blues have conceded 13 goals, an average of two per game. If they don't sit up in the coming games, Chelsea could be overtaken in the league and drop out of the top-four.