Another blow for Chelsea! Injury-plagued Benoit Badiashile set to miss Carabao Cup final after being sidelined for a month

The Frenchman was forced off in the dying embers of the FA Cup fourth-round replay victory at Aston Villa on Wednesday, with what seemed like a fairly innocuous problem. However, according to the Evening Standard, scans have revealed that he has injured his groin and he now faces four weeks out.

That prognosis means Badiashile will not be fit in time for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on February 25, in a blow to head coach Mauricio Pochettino's plans. The defender played well against Villa alongside Axel Disasi and is more mobile than the ageing Thiago Silva, but his manager will now be forced to look at other options.

This is another setback for Badiashile, who missed the opening months of the 2023-24 season as he went through a protracted recovery period after a serious hamstring injury at the tail end of the previous campaign. Chelsea are boosted by the timely return of Levi Colwill from his own fitness issue, and as a left-footer he may step straight into the team.

Pochettino will have to plan without the France international for the time being, so it will be interesting to see the defensive configuration of the team when they visit Crystal Palace on Monday night. The Blues will be desperate for a victory at Selhurst Park having lost their previous two league games to Liverpool and Wolves, shipping eight goals in the process.