'Against all odds' - Reece James breaks silence on latest Chelsea injury setback

Chelsea captain Reece James has sent a message after suffering another injury blow.

Enzo Maresca confirmed on Thursday that James would not be available for the Blues' clash against Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday.

James had spent the majority of the season on the sidelines recovering from injury before making his return against Liverpool last month.

The right-back has made four appearances in the Premier League for Chelsea, including back-to-back 90 minutes against Newcastle and Manchester United before making a brief cameo last time out against Arsenal.

It has now been confirmed that James will be on the sidelines for the game against Leicester on Saturday after Maresca stated that the 24-year-old suffered the injury during training over the international break. It remains to be seen how long James will be unavailable for Chelsea ahead of a busy run of fixtures over Christmas and New Year.

Hours after Maresca confirmed the injury during his pre-match press conference, James posted a message on social media in response to the news on his fitness. The Chelsea captain took the opportunity to thank fans for their support in the aftermath of his injury blow.

"Hello all, I hope and wish you're all well," wrote James on Instagram.

"This message is to the people that understand and have respect for what I'm going through. I appreciate you so much, your support and kind messages go further than you could ever imagine.

"And just to touch on me, I'm doing okay, been better and also been worse. Another challenge ahead accepted. Eventually I'll come out on top. Against all odds.

"Lastly, I'd like to touch on the festive period coming [up], these times are tough for everyone! I wish you all a happy and peaceful festive season."

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Chelsea ended the 2023/24 Premier League season on a high, but it is never quiet at Stamford Bridge and the summer looks set to be one full of news, with question marks over Mauricio Pochettino's future at the club and plenty of talk around transfers.

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