Thomas Tuchel has had a headache at the heart of his defense after losing Thiago Silva to Tottenham.
The veteran Brazilian was superb in his role in the first half in north London but was sent off to intercept a pass after a stretch with an apparent leg injury.
This could cause problems in the coming weeks as Chelsea face a rigorous Champions League test against La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.
To make matters worse, the Blues are already without Kurt Zouma and there are only Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen left as the two recognized central defenders in the senior national team – although Tuchel has mainly played a three-man defense line, with Cesar Azpilicueta in a central role.
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Fans quickly focused on the problem as they voiced their concern on social media, realizing how big the loss will be if the former Paris Saint-Germain man is absent.
They all hope that Silva can face Diego Simeone’s side in the Spanish capital later this month.
Chelsea have a number of Premier League games ahead of them, against Sheffield United, Newcastle and Southampton, as well as the FA Cup fifth-round game against Barnsley.
With the full schedule of weekend and midweek games continuing until this clash, the blues are in a precarious position.
Further defensive injuries would pose a huge problem for Tuchel and likely lead to questions regarding Fikayo Tomori’s move to AC Milan in January.
