8 months ago
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CHELSEA have suffered a blow ahead of the new season with the fitness of Christopher Nkunku.
The £52million summer signing from RB Leipzig suffered an injury during the pre-season clash against Borussia Dortmund.
GettyNkunku, 25, hobbled off the pitch after falling down following a challenge from defender Mats Hummels.
According to the Evening Standard, the France international will miss the start of the Premier League season.
However, the report claims that the Blues are hopeful that he will only be out for a matter of weeks rather than months.
It is said that Nkunku returned to London following the injury for tests but will not be added to the long-term injury list.
While Nkunku was being taken off the pitch by medical staff, defender Thiago Silva could be spotted complaining to manager Mauricio Pochettino.
It is thought that he had issues with the turf at Soldier Field as it was uneven, dry and sandy.
After the game, Pochettino revealed that he thought that the pitch was not “perfect” but refused to blame it for Nkunku’s injury, instead putting it down to “bad luck”.
He said: “I didn’t see the action, but it not about complaining.
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“Always we take some risks because the pitch is not perfect, because they are using it for different sports and those are sometimes the risk of the tour.
“I think it was a bit unlucky in the situation but we cannot complain about the pitch nor blame the pitch for why he suffered the injury.
“For me, it was bad luck.”
On the weekend before the match, Ed Sheeran held a concert at the venue which saw a large crowd use the surface in order to expand the capacity to 73,000.
The Blues drew the fixture against the Bundesliga side 1-1 with former Charlton youngster Mason Burstow netting an 89th-minute equaliser.
The club’s Premier League season kicks off against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on August 13.
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