Head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted that he expects Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic to miss Saturday's FA Cup final against Liverpool.
During the first half of Wednesday's Premier League fixture with Leeds United, Kovacic was on the receiving end of a wild challenge from Dan James, who was subsequently sent off.
Although Kovacic attempted to continue, it soon became apparent that the Croatia international would need to be withdrawn, making him a big doubt for the Wembley showpiece at the weekend.
Speaking after the 3-0 victory at Elland Road, Tuchel suggested that it would take "a miracle" for Kovacic to be fit for the next game.
Tuchel told reporters: "I tell you not as a coach or an expert but I think it's very unlikely we see him.
"If Mateo misses it I am very disappointed because he was a clear starter. You saw the quality with Jorgi and him in midfield when it was eleven against eleven. We will see. Maybe we have a miracle.
"I did not see the challenge live. I just saw it from a distance and I'm not good at looking at these situations because it hurts me. Everyone told me it was a red card."
Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku all got on the scoresheet at Elland Road to move Chelsea to the brink of confirming their place in next season's Champions League. body check tags ::
