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Chelsea captain Reece James is out for several weeks with a hamstring injury, missing the Round of 16 tie against PSG and England’s pre-season friendlies.
Chelsea’s Reece James (AFP)
Chelsea captain Reece James has reportedly been ruled out of action for the next ‘several weeks’ due to another hamstring injury — his tenth since December 2020 — and would miss Tuesday’s crucial Round of 16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League. According to The AthleticJames is also set to miss this month’s pre-season friendlies for the England national team.
It’s a painful blow for both parties, who reached a new contract extension only days ago.
“2006, a kid arrived at Chelsea with a dream in his heart, boots too big for his feet, but belief from the start. Fast forward to 2026, still wearing the same blue shirt with the same fire inside. This club raised me, shaped me, and gave me a place to call home. Through every game, every battle, every lesson I’ve grown. Now the journey rolls on, the dream still true. Extended till 2032 … and still bleeding BLUE!” James said after the announcement.
James had been playing regularly for over a year now, though the team was carefully managing his workload, rarely giving him a big run of starts. He had a few relapses, too, but this is the most major injury the right-back has suffered in almost 15 months. He only recently said he was feeling good about his fitness.
“I’m in a really good place at the moment, my body’s feeling good. I’m playing on a regular basis, two or three games a week, and I just try and help the team as much as I can and do what’s right.”
At this time, James had shown himself inarguably as Chelsea’s best player, offering creativity with the ball and solidity without it. His injury has made Chelsea’s already near-impossible task of overturning a 5-2 deficit against the reigning UCL Champions even more difficult.
Meanwhile, Thomas Tuchel needs to confirm his squad for the 2026 World Cup by the end of May. James, if fit, would start every game but the German manager might need a rethink now.
March 16, 2026, 8:45 PM IST
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