Chelsea hope Thiago Silva will be cleared to face Aston Villa

Posted Friday, September 10, 2021 by PA

Chelsea still hope to have Thiago Silva available to face Aston Villa despite the threat of a FIFA suspension.

The 36-year-old could face a five-day ban after missing Brazil’s international fixtures, but Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck was locked in negotiations on Friday to avoid the censure.

N’Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic (both ankle) will definitely miss the Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge, but Romelu Lukaku was fit to feature after a minor thigh issue on duty with Belgium.

Villa are without Emi Martinez and Emi Buendia, who are in Croatia after returning from international duty with Argentina.

The duo would have had to quarantine if they travelled directly back to the UK so are training in the green listed country.

Ollie Watkins (knee), John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey (Covid isolation), Bertrand Traore (hamstring) and Leon Bailey (hamstring) are available but Trezeguet (knee) is a long-term absentee. Keinan Davis is out along with Carney Chukwuemeka (adductor).

Chelsea provisional squad: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Christensen, Rudiger, Alonso, Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount, Werner, Havertz, Arrizabalaga, Silva, Hudson-Odoi, Chilwell, Loftus-Cheek, Ziyech, Niguez, Lukaku.

Aston Villa provisional squad: Steer, Sinisalo, Marschall, Cash, Targett, Konsa, Mings, Young, Hause, Tuanzebe, Luiz, McGinn, Philogene-Bidace, Nakamba, Sanson, El Ghazi, Ramsey, Bailey, Watkins, Ings, Traore.