Chelsea have been dealt another injury blow as scans confirmed the extent of the hamstring issue suffered by Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian, with the 18-year-old set to miss the rest of the club season and potentially the 2026 World Cup.
Estevao was forced off just 17 minutes into the 1-0 loss to Man Utd last weekend after pulling up with what appeared to be a hamstring issue, and subsequent scans have confirmed a strain, according to The Athletic.
The Brazilian has reportedly suffered a “grade four hamstring injury” and will miss Chelsea’s remaining four matches of the Premier League season, as well as the FA Cup final if the Blues manage to qualify. It is an issue that has plunged the club further into chaos on the day that the dismissal of manager Liam Rosenior was also announced.
The former Blues boss revealed that Estevao was in tears after being forced off against Man Utd, saying “it was really devastating” for the winger.
“It looks like it's his hamstring and that has happened in a moment when he's running through on their goal for a one-v-one chance – he pulls his hamstring in that moment. I hope Este comes back sooner rather than later,” Rosenior said at the time.
However, the issue looks to have brought an end to Estevao’s first season at Stamford Bridge. The 18-year-old arrived from Palmeiras at the start of the season and has registered eight goals and four assists in a promising campaign, with a highlight coming in a superb performance as he helped demolish Barcelons 3-0 in the Champions League.
And while the news will be unwelcome news for his club as they deal with the absences of Reece James, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer, the injury has also thrown Estevao’s participation at the World Cup into doubt. The youngster has been a regular part of the Brazil squad under new manager Carlo Ancelotti, and while sources close to the player told BBC Sport that he “will be fit to feature in the tournament”, such severe hamstring injuries can take eight weeks to heal properly.
James has been out of action since sustaining a hamstring injury in March, while Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu has been out since January and Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur returned to training only last week after suffering an injury at the start of the year.
Brazil’s opening World Cup group game comes in just over seven weeks’ time on 13 June, and it remains to be seen whether Ancelotti would want to risk taking a player who may not be able to prove his match fitness before the final squad lists are announced on 30 May.
