Mauricio Pochettino explains why Moises Caicedo missed Chelsea training before Aston Villa clash
- Caicedo returned from the international break with a knock that saw him miss the Bournemouth draw
- Midfielder was not spotted in training this week but also not mentioned on the team's injury update
- Chelsea take on Aston Villa on Sunday in the Premier League
By Tom Gott
Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Moises Caicedo will face a fitness test on Saturday to determine whether he can feature against Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Ecuador midfielder returned from the international break with a knock that saw him miss the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth, but Caicedo was also not spotted in Chelsea training throughout the week, sparking fears he could have picked up something more serious.
However, when Chelsea released their injury update on Friday, Caicedo's name was nowhere to be seen.
"We need to assess Moi [on Saturday]," Pochettino said in his press conference. "He was training in an individual way, not with the team.
"We need to assess him to see if he can be involved on Sunday."
There was also a welcome update on striker Armando Broja, who underwent knee surgery in December but could be set for a return this Sunday.
"Armando can be involved maybe," Pochettino added. "It's not sure. We need to assess him tomorrow."
Broja's return could provide a huge boost to a Chelsea side who continue to struggle in front of goal, but Pochettino called for caution as the academy graduate finds his feet once again after nine months on the sidelines.
"Broja arrives and maybe will be involved at the weekend but it's after nine months of not competing," he said. "We cannot put responsibility on him. The responsibility must be on the team and the collective effort. We cannot expect Broja will score with every single touch, he needs to feel the competition."
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