Chelsea football club confirmed on Friday, March 26, 2021, that the club’s midfielder, N’Golo Kante, has cut short his FIFA international break due to a hamstring injury he sustained while on duty with France.
The 29-year-old France international was a casualty in the FIFA World Cup qualification match between France and Ukraine on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. He sustained a hamstring injury in the game which ended in a 1-1 draw.
According to a statement on the French Football Federation website, N’Golo Kante would have to return to Chelsea to begin his recovery process which might last for weeks.
This means that he would not be available for France in the World Cup qualification match against Kazakhstan on March 28, and in the qualification match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on March 31.
The statement read: “N’Golo Kante will not take part in the next two matches of the French team on Sunday in Kazakhstan and three days later in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
“The Chelsea midfielder felt a pain in the hamstrings of the left thigh at the very end of the match against Ukraine on Wednesday at the Stade de France. He had clinical and radiological examinations on Thursday, which revealed a small lesion.
“In consultation with Doctor Franck Le Gall, national coach Didier Deschamps has decided to put N’Golo Kanté back at the disposal of his club tomorrow.
“N’Golo Kante will not be replaced. It is therefore a group of twenty-five players who will fly to Kazakhstan tomorrow morning.”
The coach of Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel will greatly miss the services of the French midfielder who has been a regular at the London club in most games the club has played this season.
With his current injury, N’Golo Kante who has played 25 Premier League games so far this season and provided two assists in the league might not be available for Chelsea in the match against West Brom on April 3 and in the Champions League match against Porto on April 7. He might also miss Chelsea games against Crystal Palace and Manchester City on April 13 and 17 respectively.
A statement on Chelsea website read: “The French Football Federation has announced that N’Golo Kante is returning to Chelsea having suffered a small hamstring injury during France’s game on Wednesday.
“The FFF confirmed the midfielder will miss their next two matches on Sunday in Kazakhstan and on Wednesday in Bosnia and Herzegovina, having felt hamstring pain in his left thigh late in the game against Ukraine at the Stade de France.
“Kante had clinical and radiological examinations on Thursday which revealed a small lesion, and he is heading back to Chelsea today [March 26].”
Kante vs Atletico Madrid any day, please 🤤
— Football Tekkers (@BallTekkers) March 24, 2021
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