Kalidou Koulibaly will be out of action for Chelsea for “a matter of weeks” due to a hamstring injury, according to interim manager Frank Lampard. This means that he will miss the upcoming Premier League match against Brighton and the return leg against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Lampard expressed his disappointment at the injury, but also noted that it provides an opportunity for other players to step up.
Marc Cucurella replaced Koulibaly in the 55th minute at the Bernabeu, and Benoit Badiashile could come in for the Brighton match. However, Badiashile is not registered for the Blues in Europe, so Trevoh Chalobah may be another option for Lampard. The 23-year-old is part of Chelsea’s European squad.
Chelsea are currently 11th in the league and have not scored a goal in their last four matches in all competitions. Lampard hinted that Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang could be involved against Brighton, noting that he has a fantastic goalscoring record.
Lampard noted that some players who have been out of the team have had limited opportunities to impress him since he returned to the club after Graham Potter was sacked. He said that Saturday will be an opportunity for some players to come in and show what they can do, as Chelsea need freshness and energy. He also noted that not all players can play, as the maths doesn’t work.