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Chelsea were today relieved to discover Frank Lampard will only miss up to three weeks with a thigh injury, but then suffered another scare over the fitness of captain John Terry.
The England skipper is a doubt for the friendly against Brazil in Qatar tomorrow after picking up an ankle injury in training this morning. He was expected to appear at a press conference in Doha to preview the match only for Gareth Barry to speak instead.
England's medical team are now running some tests but national coach Fabio Capello is confident Terry hasn't suffered any major damage and could still line up against the five-time World Cup winners.
He said: “He was running on his own and twisted his ankle. I am confident he will be fit for tomorrow. The doctors think so but I won't take a risk. If he is not fit, he will not play.”
Terry's injury concern followed that of Chelsea team-mate Lampard, who arrived back at the club's training ground today having sustained a thigh problem with England.
It was initially feared the 31-year-old could be out until the new year but the club doctors received a better forecast after he underwent a scan today.
A Chelsea statement said: “It has been confirmed that Frank Lampard suffered a muscle tear in his left thigh while away with England. The Chelsea medical department's initial impression is that he may take approximately three weeks to recover.”
That is still a major blow for Chelsea because he is set to miss the club's huge match against title rivals Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on 29 November.
He is also in a race against time to prove his match fitness ahead of the tough match a week later away to Manchester City.
Chelsea are in a battle with Porto to finish top of their Champions League group and he is expected to be ruled out for their match in Portugal on 25 November.
Capello played down any link between Lampard's injury and the type of plane used by the squad to travel to Qatar.
There were suggestions that the players had been too cramped on a charter flight but Capello said: “It is the same plane we used to fly to Trinidad and Kazakhstan.”
Chelsea are also understood to be calm about the situation and will be compensated anyway because the Football Association insure the players against injury while on international duty.
Should Terry be forced to withdraw tomorrow, Wayne Rooney, who is enjoying a great season for Manchester United, will get the armband.
Capello said: “If John Terry doesn't play, it will be Wayne Rooney. He is fit and he is ready to be a captain.”
Meanwhile, Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill was surprised by Luke Young's decision to retire from international football.
The Villa right-back, 30, told the FA last season he was no longer available for selection.
But the decision only became public this week, when he was asked about his availability after Glen Johnson returned to Liverpool for treatment on an injury.
O'Neill said: “My own personal view is that you should try to keep going for as long as you can — both at club level and international.
“However, at the end of the day, it's his decision.
“It's always up to the individual, particularly with international football.
“It's not my position to decide for people one way or the other. I do not know what has gone on before or what made him come to that decision.”
Reader views (6)
Is Capello's new hard line regime mean that players are not able to get up and walk around when on flights, or are they strapped into their seats for the duration?
- Carlton, London, 16/11/2009 08:08
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Bad luck for Frank, I've done the same after a long coach journey (many years ago) and couldn't play in the match. To be perfectly honest, I don't think he's been on top form recently (has he been carrying an injury ?) so a rest might not be a bad thing for him or Chelsea. Plenty of options for the Blues - Mikel to come back, move Essien forward to one side of the diamond with Ballack (penalty taker supreme) on t'other side, Joey (or Deco) in the sausage. Sure JT will be fine, if not Alex or Ivanovic can replace him. No probs.
- Charlie, Nr. Crackpot, North Yorkshire, 13/11/2009 16:03
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What an absolute load of nonsense. I've been on much longer flights than that and managed not to pull muscles afterwards, and I'm not a professional athlete. Did the size of the seat REALLY make that much difference? Did he go for his "sprint" (yeah, righto) as soon as his feet touched the tarmac on the runway? Or, possibly - and please stay with me while I raise this outlandish theory - did he not stretch properly before he started running? Honestly, you'd think they were in the overhead lockers the way they're going on.
Sadly, injuries to your players whilst on international duty are a hazard of the game. For all you poor Arsenal and Chelsea fans out there, the easy solution is to sign players not good enough to play for their country. Compensation? Just the standard amount that all teams get in this situation, nothing more.
On a totally unrelated note, I remember, a year ago almost to the day, that most England "stars" had "injuries" just before the match in Berlin. Odd how the same players are injured again. Really unfortunate.
- Graeme, Hornchurch, 13/11/2009 13:20
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Even though, as an Arsenal fan, I'm somewhat relieved that Lampard might end up missing our showdown with Chelsea at the end of the month, I still find this situation quite ridiculous and can sympathise (for once) with Chelsea.
In the past we have lost the likes of van Persie and Walcott to serious injuries while on international duty, sometimes in completely meaningless friendlies. They have ended up disrupting our season and we've seen no compensation for their absence.
In some cases the injury is just one of those things and could easily have happened while playing for the club rather than the national team, but in this case it seems the FA are culpable and I think Chelsea are right to pursue compensation.
- Steven, London, 13/11/2009 12:36
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Oh the poor LOVE!
A "top" footballer, in his "prime" of physical fitness, struck down by the cruel and cramped horror of an economy class aeroplane. Can you IMAGINE what damage it will have done to the poor, mortal passengers on the same flight?? Let alone all the OTHER PLAYERS alongside poor Frank...
Luckily, Steven Gerrard (as usual) had already withdrawn from this England squad before it was even announced there would be a game, so at least he'll be ok for Two Man Team next weekend.
We're all really rooting for you on this one Frank.
Please get well soon.
- Stu, Beckton, 13/11/2009 12:29
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Well done to the FA. Nothing like putting the wellbeing of your premiere footballers before financial self-interest eh?
- Les, Woking, Surrey., 13/11/2009 12:21
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