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Chelsea are back in Champions League action on Tuesday night following the weekend's 0-0 draw with Bournemouth
10:48, 08 Dec 2025Updated 10:48, 08 Dec 2025
Up to six players could miss the Champions League clash between Chelsea and Atalanta through injury, with Enzo Maresca's side handed a blow. The Blues make the journey to Italy for Tuesday night's clash.
They go into the game having played out a 0-0 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. It was a game that saw striker Liam Delap forced off in the first half with a shoulder injury.
Giving an update on Delap following the match, Maresca said: “He was already out two months and he has to be out again.
“We don’t know for how long but it looks quite bad, his shoulder.
“He has been unlucky. We are a bit unlucky because we need that kind of number nine. We tried today it with Marc (Guiu).”
Further reports claim that Delap will be out of action for six-to-eight weeks, meaning he may not feature again until February. It comes just as the striker made his comeback from a two-month injury lay-off due to a groin problem.
Delap will join teammates Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill and Dario Essugo on the sidelines for the clash against Atalanta.
Lavia continues to recover from a thigh injury and is not expected back until the new year. Fellow midfielder Essugo has returned to training after undergoing surgery, but Maresca has hinted that it could take a bit longer for him to be ready to return.
Colwill is a long-term absentee. The defender suffered an ACL injury during pre-season and continues his rehabilitation.
It’s not only Chelsea who are dealing with injuries, with Atalanta expected to be without a couple of players for the game.
Former Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana missed the weekend’s Serie A loss against Hellas Verona with a muscle injury. He will therefore be a major doubt for the clash against Chelsea.
Atalanta will also be without long-term absentee Mitchel Bakker. The wide player is continuing his recovery from an ACL injury.
In a boost, centre-back Giorgio Scalvini could make his comeback from injury against Chelsea. His season has so far been blighted with injuries, but he was named on the bench for the clash against Hellas over the weekend.
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