Get ready for Jorginho-Barkley-Kovacic
N’Golo Kanté is set to miss out on the Europa League final after picking up a knee injury in training ahead of Chelsea’s match against Baku, Azerbaijan.
Kanté left the training pitch in pain on Saturday after picking up a knock. Physios will conduct tests this afternoon though their first impressions are understood to have been far from optimistic.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also currently ruled out after rupturing his achilles in a post-season friendly in Boston, USA. The Chelsea academy product would almost certainly have started the final alongside Kanté in midfield, but could now miss a year of football.
The duo’s absence will mean Maurizio Sarri has no option but to field a midfield trio of Jorginho, Ross Barkley and Mateo Kovacic against Arsenal.
Antonio Rudiger will also miss the final, with Andreas Christensen stepping into defence in his place, while Callum Hudson-Odoi is also a long-term casualty with a ruptured achilles.
