[monks data]

Premier League | Gameweek 30

Mar 30, 2024 at 3pm UK

Stamford Bridge

Chelsea
2 - 2
Burnley

Palmer (44' pen., 78')
Cucurella (35'), Gallagher (45+1')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Cullen (47'), O'Shea (81')
Assignon (16'), Cullen (45+3'), Esteve (90+2')
Assignon (40'), Kompany (43')

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez a doubt ahead of Burnley clash?

By Andrew Delaney, Reporter | 25 March 2024

Enzo Fernandez is a doubt for Chelsea's clash with Burnley on Saturday, due to his expected involvement with Argentina in their friendly against Costa Rica this week.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has received a selection concern about Enzo Fernandez ahead of their clash with Burnley on Saturday.

The Blues face the relegation-threatened outfit still in the bottom half, but only three points off a potential European spot.

Many members of the Chelsea side have been away on international duty, including Fernandez, who scored for Argentina in their 3-0 win over El Salvador last week.

La Albiceleste play another friendly against Costa Rica on Tuesday night, but that will leave Fernandez doubtful of featuring for Chelsea this weekend.

With kickoff at 2:50am UK time in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Fernandez is not likely to return to London until Friday at the earliest, raising doubts about his fitness.

Many instances in the past have seen players returning from the Americas and Asia left on the bench for the first club game after an international break due to jet lag.

With such a short window between Fernandez's return to the country, and Chelsea's 3pm Saturday kickoff, the midfielder may only start as a substitute at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates on February 12, 2024 © Reuters

The 23-year-old missed Chelsea's last game too, as two FA Cup bookings meant that he was suspended for the quarter-final win over Leicester City shortly before the break.

Fernandez has been a regular though, playing 90 minutes almost every week since missing the festive fixtures in December with a brief injury.

The Argentine is not the only fitness worry for Pochettino either, following the news that Carney Chukwuemeka has left the England under-21 camp early.

Chukwuemeka will return to Cobham to work on his fitness, but Cole Palmer is still with the senior England squad despite missing the weekend defeat to Brazil.

After withdrawing from the France Under-23 squad, Malo Gusto is expected to be fit to face the Clarets though, following his recovery from a virus.

That will come as a welcome relief to Pochettino, who remains without first-choice right-back Reece James due to injury.