Chelsea’s striker Christopher Nkunku suffered a knee injury during the team’s final pre-season friendly against Borussia Dortmund, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Nkunku, a £52m addition from RB Leipzig this summer, had been impressive, scoring three goals during Chelsea’s pre-season tour in the USA. However, his game was cut short as he came off the pitch after just 20 minutes at Soldier Field.
Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea’s head coach, confirmed the injury but remained hopeful that it is not a major issue. The medical staff will further assess Nkunku’s condition to determine the extent of the injury. Pochettino did not attribute the setback to the playing surface, which is typically used for NFL matches, describing it as a case of bad luck.
Despite the injury setback, Chelsea displayed a strong performance during the match. Reece James captained the team, leading a back four that included Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell, and Levi Colwill. The Blues controlled the first half of the match, creating chances with Nicolas Jackson and Colwill coming close to scoring. However, Dortmund took the lead against the run of play with a goal from Marius Wolf, despite appeals for offside.
In the end, 19-year-old Mason Burstow saved the day for Chelsea, heading in a late equalizing goal to secure an unbeaten pre-season for the team. As they head into the Premier League opener against Liverpool on August 13, Chelsea will be keeping a close eye on Nkunku’s recovery, hoping he can return quickly to strengthen their attacking options.
