Chelsea lose Ferreira for rest of season
Friday, March 6, 2009
Article summary
Chelsea FC defender Paulo Ferreira is out for the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury just as Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho returned to the squad ahead of Tuesday's second-leg trip to Juventus.
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Chelsea FC defender Paulo Ferreira is out for the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury, just as Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho return to the squad.
Absence
The 30-year-old right-back damaged an anterior cruciate ligament on Thursday, and Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink today confirmed that Ferreira would play no further part in the campaign, his player having sustained an injury that previously struck Essien and Joe Cole this season. Although the Portuguese international is not currently a regular for Chelsea, his experience would have been welcome as the squad contemplate an important set of games.
Duo return
Those matches begin with Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Coventry City FC, in which Essien and Carvalho could make their comebacks after six months and five weeks out respectively, having played for the reserves on Thursday. That is followed by the UEFA Champions League visit to Juventus on Tuesday, with Hiddink's side leading the first knockout round tie 1-0, and their continuing bid to overturn Manchester United FC's seven-point Premier League advantage.
