Petr Cech is out of Chelsea's Champions League return against Fenerbahce tomorrow night after an accident in training left him needing surgery on his face.

The freak injury occurred yesterday when an unnamed team-mate struck the Czech international in the face with his studs. Cech suffered lacerations to his lip and chin and was taken to hospital for an operation, but it means he will definitely be missing at Stamford Bridge.

It comes as a huge blow to the keeper, who fractured his skull last season and wears a rugby scrum cap when he plays, as he was set to return after being out for a month with an ankle injury.

The No1 resumed full training only last Friday and was on course to replace Carlo Cudicini in goal against the Turkish champions, who lead 2-1 from the first leg.

It is not yet known whether the damage caused to his face will also rule him out of the club's next Premier League game at home to Wigan a week today. The Blues kept their title hopes alive with a 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday but captain John Terry revealed they needed a half-time rant from Avram Grant to inspire them.

The Blues have closed the gap at the top of the table to Manchester United to three points after the champions drew 2-2 at Middlesbrough yesterday.

Both teams have two matches to play before they meet on 26 April at Stamford Bridge for what is looking more and more like a title decider. Chelsea appeared comfortable in their win at City and were leading at the break 1-0, but Terry pinpointed a new approach from the normally laid-back manager Grant that ensured they did not throw away a chance to close the gap.

Terry said: "In the first half we should have finished the game off and we came in at half-time and got an absolute b********g by the manager, Steve Clarke and Henk Ten Cate. They all said their piece and rightly so.

"The tempo was too slow and lackadaisical and we should have had the game won before we did in the end.

"The manager was worried that we had taken early leads against Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Fenerbahce and didn't build on it.

"That's why they did the talk they did because they thought we were going to throw it away again. The second half was much better and we sharpened up a little bit. The second goal killed the game off."

Terry's England central defensive partner Rio Ferdinand has given Sir Alex Ferguson another defensive headache after leaving the Riverside with a foot injury.