Reece James ruled out again! Why Chelsea star will miss first three matches of next Premier League season - explained

James was sent off after an altercation with Brighton's Joao Pedro. The incident initially went unnoticed by referee Michael Salisbury, but following a VAR review, the club skipper was shown a red card for kicking out at Pedro. The suspension adds to the woes of a largely disappointing season for Chelsea, though they are finishing on a high note and is on the verge of sneaking into European competition next season following the 2-1 win against Brighton on Wednesday night.

James will now face a four-game suspension: three matches for violent conduct and an additional one because it was his second red card for the season. He picked up his first marching orders in Chelsea's 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in November when he was booked twice.

Mauricio Pochettino did not hide his disappointment and admitted that the sending-off was "painful" to say the least.

"Maybe it’s the frustration of him," he told reporters. "But, yes, painful. Painful because it was a fantastic night of football and he’s our captain and a really important player. I’m disappointed because now he’s going to miss the next game and maybe a few games in next season."

Looking ahead, Chelsea must avoid defeat on Sunday to guarantee their sixth-place finish. However, they have a chance to climb even higher. If Chelsea can beat Bournemouth and Tottenham lose to Sheffield United, Pochettino's side could move up to fifth place, which would secure a spot in the Europa League. However, they need to overcome the Cherries without the services of James.