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Chelsea will be without Reece James for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on February 25, according to Daily Telegraph journalist Matt Law.
James is currently nursing a hamstring injury sustained in December, and his return date remains unknown. The Englishman's 2023-24 campaign has been blighted by injuries, with him being limited to only nine appearances in all competitions this season.
Chelsea fans were hoping to have him for next month's crucial final, which the Blues secured after thrashing Middlesbrough 6-1 on Tuesday. But those hopes have now been dashed.
Law, a football news correspondent for British publication Daily Telegraph, confirmed on X (via TTS) that James will indeed sit out the Wembley showpiece.
It's a blow for Mauricio Pochettino, given the player's influence on the side in normal circumstances. The Blues are aiming to right the wrongs of their 2022 final loss to Liverpool in the Cup.
Romeo Lavia, Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto, Lesley Ugochukwu, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana are the other players on the injury list. Some of them could return for the final, but not Fofana, who is likely to miss out on the remainder of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Cucurella is expected to return in March or April. The player underwent surgery for an ankle problem, thereby making him an absentee for the Carabao Cup final too.
Luckily for Pochettino, most of the first-teamers are available as of now. The Argentine will be hoping to avoid more injuries in the weeks leading up to their Liverpool showdown.
Chelsea looking to avenge 2022 final loss to Liverpool
In the 2022 Carabao Cup final, Chelsea and Liverpool battled it out in a tough game in which neither team scored a goal in normal time.
A penalty shootout beckoned, and it was a prolonged one that saw 21 spot-kicks in total. The Reds prevailed 11-10 at last as Kepa Arrizabalaga missed his chance in sudden death.
Two years later, the sides meet again at the same stage of the competition, with Liverpool once again the favorites. However, in recent weeks, the Blues have improved greatly, having won five of their last six games in all competitions.
With the showpiece clash still a month away, Pochettino will know that his side must maintain this form over the next four weeks if they are to win the trophy for the first time since 2015.
