Unfortunately, a combined total of 4 players from Chelsea and Liverpool will not be available for the FA Cup final that will be played between both clubs at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday. We have listed those players below....CONTINUE READING
1. Mateo Kovacic
The Croatian midfielder started for Chelsea on Wednesday in the Premier League match against Leeds United which his team won 3-0 away from home.
However, he didn’t play for the full 90 minutes as he was substituted at the half-hour mark after he sustained what appeared to be an ankle injury following a dangerous tackle by Daniel James.
Mateo Kovacic’s ankle wrapped with ice following a tackle by Daniel James
Due to that injury, it is very likely he won’t feature against Liverpool in the final, as that was exactly what Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said immediately after the match.
“I tell you not as a coach or an expert but I think it’s very unlikely we see him [in the FA Cup final],” said Thomas Tuchel.
2. Fabinho
The Brazilian midfielder was substituted at the half-hour mark against Aston Villa on Tuesday after sustaining a hamstring injury following a coming together with former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho.
Reports so far suggest he will not feature for Liverpool on Saturday, as the Brazil team doctor that accessed his injury said nothing about his chances of featuring in that match.
He only said the early signs indicate Fabinho will be fit for the Champions League final which of course is more than two weeks away.
It is also unlikely that Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp will take the risk of playing him in the FA Cup final, as it could lead to him aggravating his injury ahead of the Champions League final.
3. Callum Hudson-Odoi
The English winger has not featured for Chelsea since he sustained an Achilles injury in an FA Cup 5th round match against Luton Town on 02 March.
About a month later, ahead of the FA Cup semi-final match against Crystal Palace, Thomas Tuchel issued an update on the injury saying the English winger had suffered a setback on his injury.
Unfortunately, nothing has changed since that update from Tuchel. Therefore, it is unlikely he will feature against Liverpool because even if he returns from the injury just before the final, he will still need some weeks of training to regain match fitness.
4. Ben Chilwell
The English left-back is another Chelsea player that will certainly not play in the FA Cup final. He has not played since November 2021 when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a Champions League match against Juventus. It is expected he will start playing from the beginning of next season.