Enzo Fernandez is suffering from a 'chronic' injury that left him in tears on the pitch last night, according to a report.
Fernandez started Chelsea's Carabao Cup clash against Newcastle United on Tuesday.
But he was forced off in the first-half as the Blues went onto book their spot in the semi-finals following their 4-2 penalty shootout victory.
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After the game, Mauricio Pochettino revealed why he substituted the World Cup winner in the 32nd minute.
"He felt sick," he said via The Daily Mail. "He didn’t feel well before the game and then when he started to play, it wasn’t going well.
"He asked to come out because he wasn’t feeling well."
The Argentine boss added: "He was a little bit sick before the game. He tried, he wanted to play, see if it goes well but it goes not so well and that is why [he looked upset]."
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However, there appears to be more of a concern over Fernandez, who cut a hugely emotional figure on the pitch after Chelsea's victory over Newcastle.
He looked to be in tears as he had his hood up, with Nicolas Jackson consoling him.
According to Argentine journalist Gaston Edul, Fernandez actually has a 'chronic' pubalgia problem.
He stated: "Recovery is with rest or treatment to reduce the discomfort when playing and not affect it."
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Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic suffers from a similar problem, which prevented a move to Paris Saint-Germain who had some concerns over the player's conditions.
Not to mention Lionel Messi, who, in 2019, spoke about having a pubalgia issue. He said: "Pubalgia is complicated. I suffer from it for a while now, I do little training and I can not play all the games. It is not a problem that can be solved overnight. I feel better now, but I still have not recovered and I still need treatment."
Fernandez, who cost Chelsea £107 million in January, has played 16 league games this season, scoring two goals.
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He's been a hugely important figure under Pochettino, who could be without his key midfielder for a period of time following the reported diagnosis.
Topics: Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea, Football