Chelsea defender Reece James has been ruled out once more. He will miss the opening three games of the next Premier League season.
Reece James Red Card Incident
Following a confrontation with Joao Pedro of Brighton, James was sent off. Referee Michael Salisbury missed the original incident, but after a VAR review, the club captain was given a red card for kicking out Pedro.
With their 2-1 victory over Brighton on Wednesday night, Chelsea are closing up the season on a strong note and may just make it into Europe next year, but the suspension just makes their problems worse.
James will now serve a four-game suspension, which will consist of three games for violent behaviour and one extra game because it was James’ second red card of the year.
After receiving two bookings during Chelsea’s 4-1 loss to Newcastle in November, he received his first marching orders.
Reece James Red Card: What Mauricio Pochettino Said?
Not hiding his dismay, Mauricio Pochettino said that the sent-off was, to put it mildly, “painful.”
“Maybe it’s the frustration of him,” he told reporters. “But, yes, painful. Painful because it was a fantastic night of football and he’s our captain and a really important player. I’m disappointed because now he’s going to miss the next game and maybe a few games in next season.”
Reece James Red Card: What’s Next?
Shortly, Chelsea have to win on Sunday in order to secure their sixth-place position. They do, however, have an opportunity to ascend much higher.
In the event that Tottenham loses against Sheffield United and Chelsea defeats Bournemouth, Pochettino’s team may advance to fifth place and qualify for the Europa League. But they must defeat the Cherries without James’s assistance.
Also Read:
- Why Tariq Lamptey Avoided a Red Card Despite Colliding with Mykhailo Mudryk in the Brighton vs Chelsea Match
- “We have nearly the whole team ready”- Mauricio Pochettino comments on why Chelsea are ‘unlucky’ with the season ending’s timeline
- “Potential to be a fantastic striker” – Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino comments on Nicolas Jackson
- Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly provides major update on Stamford Bridge stadium plan
- Chelsea Transfer News: Mauricio Pochettino discusses summer plans