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Chelsea captain Reece James, Joao Pedro and Moises Caicedo did not participate in training on Tuesday.
The trio were not pictured when the Blues allowed cameras in for the first 15 minutes of Xabi Alonso’s training session.
Understandably, supporters on X are concerned about the implications for the game against Brentford on Friday night:
We’re cooked for real
— melody (@AgabiCletus) September 15, 2026
What happened to them 😒
— OLAMILEKAN 💙 (@Oscar1757918345) September 15, 2026
Can we go on international break already
— SWAGGARLOMO (@MhiztarDeebee) September 15, 2026
Going away to brentford without this guys is brutal
— Ojoajogwu (@donmoris212) September 15, 2026
Just one week with all players available I beg… Is it too much to ask?
— Jake★ (@JakeeOrsborn) September 15, 2026
It’s over. We go again next season. Was a good run
— isha (@Isha488) September 15, 2026
Caicedo is still working on his fitness
Speaking on Friday about Moises Caicedo’s calf injury, Alonso made it clear that there was no guarantee that the Ecuadorian international would return for the last match before the international break:
“Let’s see for Brentford, but unluckily not at the moment to take risks with him. Not yet; we are not there yet.”
The absence of James and Pedro is much more concerning. The club captain has had constant fitness problems in recent years, and he may have had another setback.
Pedro has been a key figure since his arrival from Brighton last year, and he has had an excellent start to his second campaign at Stamford Bridge – scoring 3 goals and providing 3 assists in 5 appearances so far.
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2 other Chelsea players were involved
In more promising news, both Marco Palestra and Jordan Henderson were present for first-team training.
Palestra has not made his competitive debut for the Blues after picking up an unspecified injury before the opening game of the season against Fulham. Alonso said last week that the Italian was close to returning to full fitness, although he wasn’t sure if he would be ready for the Brentford fixture. It appears as if he will make the matchday squad for the trip to Gtech Community Stadium.
Henderson, meanwhile, has been training with the squad for over two weeks, but he needs to get the final green light from the medical team before he gets his first minutes.
