Chelsea completed their preseason last night, with a score draw against Borussia Dortmund in Chicago. The 1-1 result means that the Blues finished their preseason fixture list undefeated, and we covered the first part of our news and notes section here.
Welcome to part two, which starts with a fitness update on Christopher Nkunku.
Nkunku came off midway through the first half last night, due to leg discomfort and he was later seen with an ice-pack strapped to his right knee.
“The doctors are checking him hopefully it is not a big issue but when he fell in the action maybe it was a penalty,” first year Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino said.
“Had the chance to score. But he feels something in his knee but hopefully it is not a big issue and that he can be quick with the team. Now we need a few days to assess him and until we get back to London it is difficult to know.”
The Argentine also said that his side emerged from this clash on the shore of Lake Michigan with no new injury concerns.
So who is going to be granted the Captaincy this upcoming season? Reece James wore the arm band last night over Thiago Silva. A reporter asked Pochettino if he’s made a decision on this.
“No, not yet, not yet,” Poch answered.
“There’s still 10 days [to decide] before the first game. But I don’t know if we will change too much but it is one possibility for Reece to be the captain of the team.”
Pochettino was in the Chicagoland area in 2014, then managing Tottenham Hotspur, in a friendly against the Chicago Fire FC. It was staged in suburban Bridgeview, in a great soccer-specific venue that was just unfortunately placed in the middle of nowhere.
Pochettino was asked about his various experiences in The Windy City/The Second City.
“It was different because that was my second time in Chicago, the first time was in 1999 with the national team,” he answered.
“My second time was with Tottenham where we played in Chicago Fire stadium against Chicago.
I have always enjoyed, I really like Chicago, it is a very special city, the people are really nice. We were really welcome here and it is a city that I always enjoy. My experience was always good. I hope there is the possibility to come back again.
The crowd was great last night, except for the “fans” who showed up and did the “puto” chant (which translates to “gay male prostitute” repeatedly.
You can read more on the chant, its history and origin, and FIFA’s recent attempts to stamp it out over at this link.
Can’t believe this offensive, homophobic practice is still going on! In 2023 no less! Shocking that this happened at a game between German and English sides, in America, given how this nonsense is almost always limited to matches involving a team from Mexico.
Also, last night showed us why the Chicago Bears have to leave Soldier Field, the NFL’s smallest and oldest stadium. You can also clearly see why the venue was eliminated from World Cup 2026 hosting.
The commuter logistics are AWFUL! TERRIBLE! They literally funnel all parking, on all sides of the stadium, through one thoroughfare from the south.
Yes, it has a beautiful setting, on a museum campus on the lakefront. When you’re in your seat you have very aesthetically pleasing views of the Chicago skyline.
However, it’s just way too much of a pain in the ass to get to, by car or public transportation. Plus the zoning restrictions makes it impossible to expand.
And they kind of failed, in the last time they renovated/expanded, 20 years ago. The project was very late, way over budget and resulted in a Klingon meets Parthenon motif, due to the visual of placing a giant spaceship on a Neoclassical colonnade.
Finally, Pochettino was asked about the team’s ambitions in the summer transfer window, especially at the defender position, now that Wesley Fofana is set for a long term spell on the sidelines.
“We suffered a big loss with Fofana,” Pochettino said in Chicago.
“It is normal the club is working to try and reinforce that area. It is similar to when we talked about Levi. Who deserves to play is going to play. Chelsea need to have good players. Players that can perform to win the Premier League, to win trophies.
“We are going to reinforce the areas and to provide a team with balance and being competitive in all of the areas. We are for sure trying to improve the squad and that is an area, with Fofana out.”
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager 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’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.