Chelsea are unsure whether John Terry will be able to return for next week’s clash with Leeds United in the League Cup.
The Blues skipper has been recovering from a knee injury and expected to be involved in the Club World Cup campaign in Japan.
Interim manager Rafael Benitez planned to take him to Asia but was advised not to by the club’s medical staff.
And it is not yet clear whether Terry will be an option for next Wednesday’s game at Elland Road.
“We don’t know now, because with this kind of problem you have to wait and see,” Benitez explained.
“We’ll see how he reacts. He’s trained hard with the physios but the knee is always a special case because you have a lot of joints around it.”
It was decided that long flights this week could hamper Terry’s recovery, meaning Benitez had little choice but to leave the defender in London.
Benitez said: “He was quite excited about playing [in the Club World Cup] because it’s a different competition and a great opportunity.
“He wanted to go. He wanted to help. But the problem with the knee means it’s best to be cautious.
“We talked with the doctor who said it was best that he stays here.”
Click here for Monday’s Chelsea quiz
Follow West London Sport on Twitter
Find us on Facebook
This post was last modified on 10/12/2012