Chelsea’s veteran defender, Thiago Silva, suffered a setback during their match against Tottenham on Sunday. The Brazilian defender picked up a knee ligament injury.
Although the club has not given an official timeframe for his recovery, sources indicate that he could be sidelined for as long as six weeks.
The injury occurred just 19 minutes into the game, forcing Silva to leave the field and be replaced by Wesley Fofana.
With no clear timeline for his return, Chelsea may have to make do without the experienced centre-back for a significant period of time.
A Chelsea statement read: “Having sustained a knee injury during the first half of Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, Thiago underwent further assessment and a scan on his return to the training centre on Monday.
“Scan results from those assessments have confirmed damage to Thiago’s knee ligaments and he will now work closely with the club’s medical department during his rehabilitation to return to action as soon as possible.”
The absence of Silva for six weeks would mean that he would miss Chelsea’s crucial Champions League last-16 second leg against Borussia Dortmund. Moreover, even if Chelsea progresses to the quarter-finals, the Brazilian defender may still be doubtful due to the injury.
While Chelsea has some backup options, such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Trevoh Chalobah, and Benoit Badiashile, the latter cannot feature in the Champions League.
So, it remains to be seen how the team will cope without Silva’s leadership and experience at the back.
This is a major blow for Chelsea as they look to finish the season strongly in both domestic and European competitions. The fans will be hoping that Silva can make a swift and complete recovery and return to the team as soon as possible.
