Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has confirmed that João Pedro and captain Reece James remain in contention for Friday’s Premier League meeting with Brentford despite recent fitness concerns.
Chelsea travel to the Gtech Community Stadium for the west London derby, with Alonso expected to make his final selection after the team’s last training session. The match is scheduled for an 8pm kick-off on Friday.
João Pedro’s availability had become a concern after the Brazilian forward withdrew from his country’s squad for the upcoming international friendlies because of an unspecified injury. The 24-year-old had featured prominently for Chelsea at the beginning of the campaign and has already registered three goals and three assists in four Premier League appearances.
Despite the concern surrounding the striker, Alonso has not ruled him out of the Brentford fixture. The Spanish coach said Chelsea would wait until the final training session before making a decision on the players’ availability.
Alonso stressed that he preferred to be cautious with João Pedro rather than take unnecessary risks, but acknowledged that the forward could still play.
The Brazilian has been one of Chelsea’s most productive attacking players this season. His combination of goals and assists has made him an important part of Alonso’s attacking plans, meaning his potential return would provide another option for the Blues in a difficult away fixture.
Reece James is also facing a late assessment after missing the beginning of Chelsea’s training session on Tuesday. However, Alonso played down the significance of the absence and insisted that the Chelsea captain remains in consideration for the match.
According to the manager, James’ situation was largely a decision made for that particular training session, with the club continuing to monitor his progress before determining whether he will be involved against Brentford.
James’ availability could be particularly important for Chelsea given his experience and leadership. The defender has continued to manage fitness issues during his career, making Alonso’s decision to assess him carefully understandable as the Blues enter a demanding period of the season.
Midfielder Moisés Caicedo is another player Chelsea are monitoring ahead of the trip. Alonso revealed that the Ecuador international is getting closer to a return and could potentially be included in the squad, although a final decision will also depend on the last training session.
Caicedo has had limited involvement this season after suffering a setback following his brief appearance against Brighton & Hove Albion. Alonso has therefore been cautious about rushing him back into competitive action.
The Chelsea boss also indicated that Marco Palestra and Jordan Henderson could be assessed before the final squad is selected. Both players are yet to make their competitive Chelsea debuts, and Alonso said the club would continue evaluating their condition before making a final decision.
Chelsea head into the Brentford encounter looking to return to winning ways after being held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted Hull City at Stamford Bridge last weekend. The Blues had also suffered a 2-1 defeat against Arsenal in their previous league away game.
Brentford, meanwhile, have made an unbeaten start to their Premier League campaign and have drawn their last three league matches. They also defeated Reading 2-1 in midweek to progress to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
The fixture also carries significance in the context of the league table. Chelsea and Brentford both have an opportunity to move into third place with a victory, although the position will depend on other results during the weekend.
Chelsea will therefore head into the derby with several selection questions still unanswered. Alonso’s final training session will determine whether João Pedro, James and potentially Caicedo are fit enough to feature.
For João Pedro in particular, the decision will be closely watched after his impressive start to the season. With three goals and three assists already recorded in four league appearances, his presence could give Chelsea an additional attacking threat as Alonso seeks a positive result at the Gtech Community Stadium.
