Head coach Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Chelsea defender Reece James will play no part in the club's next two fixtures.
While the right wing-back has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since the end of December, he had been expected to return for Saturday's Premier League game at Crystal Palace.
However, Tuchel has said that the England international has experienced "a delay", with the EFL Cup final against Liverpool on February 27 the next realistic opportunity to return to the squad.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Tuchel said: "We had a little bit of a setback because he caught the flu in the moment that he was very close to rejoining team training, so this was a kind of a setback.
"You always have a risk with a very physical player like Reece and with a big muscle injury that you have to consider that there is sometimes a delay with the comeback, which is where we are right now.
"He is still in individual training, progressing a lot, doing almost everything that you can do in individual training, and the plan is that he rejoins the group next week."
Tuchel also revealed on Friday that Mason Mount would "push" to recover from an ankle injury in time to feature at Wembley Stadium.
Darren Plant
