Chelsea FC travels to Sunderland AFC on Championship Sunday, in a match that will partially determine who gets eighth place in the table, and with it, a UEFA Europa League Conference berth for next season. Yes, it says a whole lot, right now, about 1. how much they have expanded continental competition in recent years and 2. how far Chelsea have realy fallen.
The Blues have a trio of doubts/late fitness test/50-50 proposition guys for this match, in Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill and Joao Pedro.
Championship Sunday FYIs
Chelsea at Sunderland FYIs
Kickoff: Sun May 24, 4pm, Stadium of Light, Sunderland, UK
Premier League Position:
Chelsea- clinging to 8th/UECL slot, hold tie-breaker over Brentford
Sunderland- 10th, 1 pt behind Chelsea and Brentford for UECL qualification
Chelsea Team News
It has indeed been a season to forget at Stamford Bridge, and for the Blues and their supporters, the Xabi Alonso era just cannot get here fast enough. However, there is still one more game, for interim boss Calum McFarlane and the 205-26 Blues.
After the 2-1 over Spurs on Tuesday night, McFarlane provided a couple fitness updates
“Joao Pedro had a slight knock. It’s nothing that we’re massively concerned about,” McFarlane said.
“Levi has obviously come off the back of a very serious injury, so it was probably too quick of a turnaround from the Cup Final… we didn’t want to risk him.”
Pedro will likely overcome his knock, and make the matchday squad on Sunday. With Colwill (unspecified/undisclosed problem) we’ll just have to wait and see. The most doubtful of the trio is Lavia, who is sadly, yes, injured again.
“Romeo took a slight knock in the build-up to the [FA Cup final], and we didn’t want to take the risk,” McFarlane said on Tuesday.
“We just have to be careful.” You got to feel for Lavia; you really do.
And of course, Jamie Gittens, Estevao and Jesse Derry will all miss out as well.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.