FIFA Updates

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is set to be sidelined for the start of the Premier League season after tearing a calf muscle in his right leg, the club have confirmed.

Cech, 28, suffered the blow in training yesterday and is expected to be missing for the next month. This has ruled him out of the remaining pre-season friendlies, the Charity Shield clash against Manchester United on August 8 and at least the opening fixture in the defence of their league crown against West Bromwich Albion on August 14.

The Czech Republic international endured a similar knock in the last campaign against Inter in the Champions League and missed several weeks of action between February and March. Reserve shot-stoppers Henrique Hilario and Ross Turnbull will now compete to fill in between the posts at Stamford Bridge.

For more news on England, visit Goal.com’s England section and join Goal.com USA’s Facebook fan page

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) – Michael Essien scored the winner
in his first Chelsea appearance since December in a 1-0 friendly
win over Championship side Crystal Palace on Saturday.

A knee injury meant the Ghana midfielder missed most of
Chelsea’s Premier League and FA Cup double last season and the
entire World Cup in South Africa.

“It feels good, it’s been a long time but I am back in full
training now, everything is good and there is no reaction from
the training, so things are looking good for me,” Essien told
the club’s website (www.chelseafc.com).

The 27-year-old, who started in a side made up mostly of
reserve team players, scored against second-division Palace
after an hour with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area.
He was substituted immediately afterwards.

The majority of Chelsea’s first team is still on vacation
following World Cup duties.

(Reporting by Neil Maidment; Editing by Stephen Wood; to
query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)