Chelsea's injury woes continue! Kalidou Koulibaly adds to Frank Lampard headache as defender faces same season-ending fate as Reece James & Mason Mount

• Defender nursing hamstring problem
• May not figure again this season
• Blues used to selection headaches

WHAT HAPPENED? The Senegal international defender, who joined the Blues for £34 million ($43m) last summer, has picked up an unfortunate hamstring problem. That ailment forced him out of a Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid and sees him facing the same fate as Stamford Bridge colleagues Reece James and Mason Mount – who have already seen questions asked of whether they will figure again this season.

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WHAT THEY SAID: Interim Blues boss Frank Lampard told reporters when asked for an update on Chelsea’s commanding 31-year-old centre-half: “Koulibaly is out for a while still. I think it will be a tight call for the end of the season. He’s working away [from the group]. I’ve been impressed with him as a professional, he’s doing his job very well, but unfortunately the injury was a tough one.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: While Koulibaly will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, Lampard has confirmed that Marc Cucurella is closing in on a return to fitness after sitting out a 2-0 defeat to Brentford, while German forward Kai Havertz could figure against Arsenal on Tuesday. He added: “Cucurella is probably another two weeks or so. Kai is in contention for the game, he’s trained.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Chelsea head to Emirates Stadium in midweek sat 12th in the Premier League table and with defeat having been suffered in all five of Lampard’s games at the helm. Injury issues having delivered selection headaches for the Blues on a regular basis throughout what has been a testing season for all concerned.