Chelsea news: Mateo Kovacic has suffered ‘huge’ ligament damage
Chelsea star Mateo Kovacic should return to action from an ankle ligament injury within two to four weeks.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Kovacic, 27, lasted just 26 minutes in the FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace last Sunday and missed yesterday’s (20 April) 4-2 defeat to Arsenal.
Thomas Tuchel revealed that the Croatian midfielder has suffered “ligament damage” to his ankle, as per the Daily Mail on Tuesday (19 April).
As quoted by the Evening Standard last Sunday (17 April) the German boss also claimed that Kovacic had “huge” swelling around the injury site.
Dinnery suggests that the former Real Madrid man is facing a couple of weeks on the sidelines as the Blues enter the final stage of the season.
“There is obviously ligament damage there, which tells us a lot about the problem,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“It comes down to severity and it looks like a possible grade two. In terms of timelines, we are indeed probably looking at around two to four weeks.
“But ultimately I don’t think it will be season-ending and I certainly would not rule him out for the FA Cup final.“
Chelsea return to Wembley to face Liverpool in a repeat of the League Cup final on 14 May.
Kovacic has scored twice and supplied six assists in 40 appearances this season.
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