Chelsea Captain Reece James Faces Extended Absence Due to Hamstring Injury

Chelsea's team captain, Reece James, is likely to be out of action for several weeks after suffering his tenth hamstring injury since December 2020, just days after signing a new six-year contract with the club. The 26-year-old right-back had been relatively injury-free this season, playing in six of the last seven Chelsea matches, but his latest setback comes at a critical time for the team. Chelsea has slipped to sixth place in the Premier League after winning only one of their last five games and is facing a 5-2 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night. According to head coach Liam Rosenior, James felt a hamstring issue during the match against Newcastle, which is "really frustrating and disappointing" for the team. The full extent of the injury is not yet known, but Rosenior acknowledged that hamstring injuries are never good news, especially for a key player like James. When asked if James could be out for weeks, Rosenior replied, "Could be." This injury may also impact James' chances of being named to Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup, as he will miss friendlies in March against Uruguay and Japan. Meanwhile, other Chelsea players are dealing with injuries, including Estevao, who returned to training on Monday after missing six matches with a hamstring injury, and Levi Colwill, who is recovering from ACL surgery. Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen and right-back Malo Gusto did not participate in training due to a groin issue and illness, respectively.