Chelsea handed major injury boost after training update amid Reece James wait
by Mark Wakefield · football.londonChelsea have been handed a major fitness boost ahead of the clash against Heidenheim in the Europa Conference League.
The Blues will face the German club in the fifth league phase fixture of the competition on Thursday night at the Voith-Arena.
Enzo Maresca's side go into the game on the back of a 2-1 win over Leicester City in the Premier League at the weekend.
However, that game saw several players absent from the matchday squad, either with injury or fitness issues, including Malo Gusto.
Maresca confirmed after the win at the King Power Stadium that Gusto missed the victory due to illness, while Pedro Neto was sidelined with a knock.
On Tuesday, though, Chelsea confirmed that Gusto had taken part in the training session, meaning he could return to the matchday squad to face Heidenheim.
Should Gusto be available, it would hand Chelsea a major boost given the concerns around Reece James' fitness. The Blues club captain suffered a hamstring injury during the international break and is set to undergo a scan this week to determine the extent of the issue.
It remains to be seen how long James will be on the sidelines recovering from the injury. If Gusto is fit and available, though, it hands Chelsea a major boost going into a busy run of fixtures.
Gusto and Neto were not the only two players to miss Chelsea's win over Leicester. Levi Colwill missed the game through illness, but the centre-back has also returned to training on Tuesday and is in line to feature against Heidenheim.
Omari Kellyman remains unavailable for Chelsea with a hamstring injury he suffered in September following his transfer from Aston Villa. It remains to be seen when the midfielder will recover to make his competitive first-team debut for the Blues.
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