Reece James, who missed England’s World Cup campaign, was forced to withdraw from his Chelsea comeback game due to injury.
Due to a knee injury sustained on October 11 while playing for Real Madrid in the Champions League against Milan, the right-back missed the Qatar 2022 finals.
James played in his first match since starting to train again at the beginning of December during Tuesday’s Premier League match at Stamford Bridge against Bournemouth.
He did, however, only play for 51 minutes before suffering another injury, this time with Chelsea leading 2-0.
James signaled to the bench that he needed to be replaced after beating Jaidon Anthony of Bournemouth to the ball. James appeared to feel a twinge.
James knelt down, his face covered, and he appeared to be in difficulty.
He received treatment from Chelsea medical personnel before being able to stand up and leave the field. He passed head coach Graham Potter on the way out so that the pain could be examined.
Before the game, Potter had described James as being “in a good place” again after the “brutal” experience of having to sit out the World Cup.