Italy manager Roberto Mancini has revealed his decision to withdraw left-back Emerson in the early stages of their 2-1 win over Finland was precautionary, rather than something serious.
The Chelsea star managed just eight minutes of the game before limping off the field with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, casting doubt over whether he would be fit upon his return to Stamford Bridge.
However, speaking after the game via The Mirror, Mancini suggested that things looked worse than they actually were for Emerson.
He said: "It was nothing serious, he stopped to ensure it didn’t get any worse. The defence did well, as Armando Izzo and Francesco Acerbi were playing together for the first time, but Alessandro Florenzi also impressed on the left, considering he was the only option we had remaining."
Chelsea fans will certainly be sweating over Emerson's fitness, given he has been one of the standout performers since Frank Lampard's arrival.
He has enjoyed a fantastic run of form which has seem him oust Marcos Alonso from the team, but the Spaniard may be set for a swift return when Chelsea face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Whilst Mancini may have played down the severity of the issue, any form of muscle strain can sideline a player for several weeks, meaning Chelsea may be without Emerson for the upcoming Champions League meeting with Valencia, as well as the clash with Liverpool soon after.
The Blues have endured an injury crisis all season, with a number of first-team stars missing a substantial amount of time. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Antonio Rudiger are all yet to return to the first team, whilst Willian and N'Golo Kante have both battled fitness concerns.
Those injuries have played their part in Chelsea's challenging start to the campaign. They currently sit 11th in the Premier League, having picked up five points from their opening four games.
However, fans are hoping things will turn around soon as a number of those injured players are expected to return to action in the near future.
Source :
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