Chelsea confirm major Armando Broja injury setback

The Albania international was hurt in a collision with Ezri Konsa in the first half of a 1-0 friendly defeat to Aston Villa in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The 21-year-old was seen screaming in pain and clutching his right knee before being taken off on a stretcher.

A club statement said: ‘Scan results…have unfortunately confirmed an anterior cruciate ligament rupture and that surgery will be required.

‘Following the operation, Armando will work closely with the club’s medical department during his rehabilitation and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign.’

Broja, who impressed on loan at Southampton last season, has scored one goal in 18 appearances for Chelsea this season.

Chelsea host Bournemouth on December 27 looking to end a three-game losing run which preceded the World Cup break.

Meanwhile, former Chelse player and manager Gianluca Vialli is stepping away from his role with the national federation for health reasons, the 58-year-old who has pancreatic cancer said on Wednesday.

‘At the end of a long and difficult negotiation with my wonderful team of oncologists, I have decided to suspend, hopefully temporarily, my present and future professional commitments,” said Vialli, head of delegation of the Azzurri.

‘The goal is to use all my energies to help my body overcome this phase of the disease, so as to be able to face new adventures as soon as possible and share them with all of you.’

Vialli, who enjoyed a stellar career with Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea and earned 59 caps for Italy, was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017 but was given the all-clear a year later. A year ago he announced it had returned.

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