Chelsea striker Armando Broja is set to miss the remainder of the season after he suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in a mid-season friendly as the Blues warmed up for the resumption of the Premier League season.
The Albanian forward, who started Chelsea’s final game before the World Cup break, started in warm-up friendly against Aston Villa at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Dubai but went down following a collision with Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa midway through the first half and had to be stretchered off.
“I think he got caught up with their player and the ground,” Blues boss Graham Potter told Chelsea’s website.
“It doesn’t look positive at the moment, but it is too early to say. Fingers crossed, but it is an awkward one.”
Now, the club’s worst fears have been confirmed as the London Evening Standard report that the 21-year-old will need surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear that will rule him out for the remainder of the season.
“The Chelsea striker will soon begin his rehabilitation programme”, they add, but is expected to be out for between seven and 12 months, leaving his 22/23 campaign over and coming as a major blow to the Blues, who will now have to rely on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Kai Havertz to lead the line for the time being, with neither inspiring major confidence in the first part of the season.
