Chelsea suffer fresh blow as Andrey Santos ruled out of Liverpool clash

Chelsea’s mounting injury crisis has deepened, with midfielder Andrey Santos ruled out until after the October international break.

The 21-year-old missed training ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Benfica and was subsequently left out of the matchday squad. Following the game, manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that Santos would be sidelined for the coming weeks, forcing him to miss Saturday’s showdown with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

“We lost Andrey Santos, who will be out until after the international break,” Maresca told The Standard. “We have seven or eight players out. It is difficult to pick the same XI, but it is what it is. We need to adapt.”

Santos had been earmarked as an important option this season, serving as deputy to captain Enzo Fernández and offering additional cover for Moisés Caicedo. His absence comes at a particularly difficult time, with summer signing Dário Essugo already out following thigh surgery.

Chelsea edged past Benfica with a 1-0 win on Tuesday thanks to Richard Rios’s first-half own goal, but the victory came at a cost. For the third time in four matches, the Blues finished with ten men after substitute João Pedro was dismissed in stoppage time.

While the result offered a much-needed boost after recent setbacks, Maresca is again left grappling with limited midfield resources ahead of a crucial Premier League clash. Chelsea will be desperate to avoid a third straight league defeat — and back-to-back losses at home — when they host the reigning champions.