Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Chelsea striker Christopher Nkunku has suffered a knee injury in their final pre-season friendly against Borussia Dortmund. Nkunku, who joined the club this summer for £52m from RB Leipzig, had impressed during the USA tour with three goals but was forced off after just 20 minutes at Soldier Field.
The extent of the injury is yet to be determined by Chelsea’s medical staff, and Pochettino did not want to attribute blame to the playing surface, which is typically used for NFL matches. He said, “The doctors are checking him, and I hope it is not a significant issue. He fell in the action, which could have been a penalty, and he felt something in his knee, but we hope it is nothing serious. We hope he can return quickly to the team. We need a few days to assess him. “We took some risks because the pitch is not perfect due to it being used for a different sport. However, we won’t blame the pitch for the injury. For me, it was just bad luck.”
How Chelsea ended pre-season unbeaten
Mason Burstow (left) celebrates scoring for Chelsea with Conor Gallagher
Chelsea’s Reece James captained the team, which included Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell, and Levi Colwill in the back four. Colwill, who signed a six-year contract earlier in the day, was part of a first half dominated by the Blues. They saw Nicolas Jackson’s effort denied by goalkeeper Alexander Meyer, and Colwill himself couldn’t convert from close range at a corner.
Nkunku left the field holding his knee and was substituted by Mykhailo Mudryk. Meyer then saved shots from Chilwell, and Raheem Sterling missed an opportunity before Dortmund took the lead against the run of play, with Marius Wolf scoring from close range amid offside appeals.
Kepa Arrizabalaga had to make a save from Wolf’s strike before 19-year-old Mason Burstow secured a draw for Chelsea, scoring with a header. This ensured that Chelsea ended their pre-season campaign unbeaten.
Chelsea’s pre-season results
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