Moises Caicedo did not take part in Chelsea’s open training session on Wednesday afternoon.
The Blues aired the first 15 minutes of their warm-up on CFC+ on Wednesday, but Caicedo was nowhere to be seen. The Ecuador international played three games in seven days last week – a total of 245 minutes (not including stoppage time).
The 25-year-old returned from his first international break of the season after more than a month out with a calf injury in the first game. Of course, there is a chance Caicedo will be on a different schedule to his teammates this season due to fitness concerns, but his absence from open training has worried supporters ahead of this weekend’s trip to Sunderland.
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However, Xabi Alonso has been bolstered by three players returning to the grass at the club’s Cobham training base.
Emiliano Martinez joined his Chelsea teammates on a gloomy Wednesday in Surrey. The Argentine goalkeeper has been sidelined since undergoing surgery after breaking his jaw in last month’s win over Everton. Martinez could be seen wearing a low face shield during the session.
Elsewhere, Aaron Anselmino, who has yet to play for Chelsea this season, recovered from injury and joined his Cobham colleagues. A welcome boost for Alonso, who is quite short in the central defensive department due to Maxence Lacroix’s injury at Anfield last week, could keep him out for the rest of the calendar year.
Jordan Henderson was also spotted in Chelsea training as they prepare for the trip to his former club the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon. Henderson missed Saturday afternoon’s win over Manchester United due to illness, but appears – more or less – to be back to normal now.
Lacroix (hamstring), Joao Pedro (thigh) and Reece James (knee) all missed Chelsea’s Wednesday session as expected.