Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo has been ruled out of Chelsea’s final Champions League group game against Besiktas on Tuesday, leaving the Premiership leaders with just two recognised strikers in the squad.
Crespo strained a calf muscle after coming as a substitute in the 1-1 Premiership draw with Leeds on Saturday, which means Adrian Mutu and Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink must carry the attacking burden in a match moved to Gelsenkirchen in Germany after the bomb attacks in Istanbul last month.
Emmanuel Petit, Juan Sebastian Veron and Eidur Gudjohnsen are all still unavailable to coach Claudio Ranieri, but defender Marcio Ambrosio rejoined the 18-man squad for Tuesday’s flight to Dusseldorf, according to the club’s website.
Chelsea have already qualified for the next phase but if they lose to the Turks they will be knocked off the top of Group G and increase their chances of a tough draw against one of the major European sides in the knockout stage. — Sapa-AFP