Chelsea have received positive news as Moisés Caicedo resumed training ahead of the Club World Cup final, increasing optimism that the midfielder could recover from an ankle injury in time for Sunday’s match against Paris Saint-Germain.
Enzo Maresca had concerns about the player’s availability after Caicedo suffered a knock toward the end of Chelsea’s 2-0 semifinal win over Fluminense on Tuesday. Although the Ecuadorian attempted to continue, he reported discomfort as the match concluded.
His presence will be crucial for Chelsea when they take on PSG at the MetLife Stadium. Maresca relies on Caicedo’s influence and will need the midfielder at his peak to counter PSG’s strong midfield unit, featuring João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, and Vitinha.
A reassuring factor for Chelsea is that Caicedo has not missed a single match due to injury or illness since December 2023. His resilience has earned him a durable reputation, and his participation in Thursday’s training session in New York suggests he could be ready to face the European champions.
Caicedo’s absence would pose challenges for Maresca, especially with Roméo Lavia sidelined for two matches and Dário Essugo also unavailable against Fluminense due to a training injury. Lavia was not seen in Thursday’s session. In midfield, Enzo Fernández and Andrey Santos remain options, while Reece James could shift from right-back if needed.
Despite being widely regarded as one of the top midfielders globally, Caicedo believes he still has progress to make.
“I’m working toward that,” he said. “My goal is to be among the best, but I’m not there yet. I train hard every day to prove myself on the field. People talk when you perform well, but I stay focused on helping my team, no matter what’s said about me.”
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