Joao Pedro injured, withdraws from Brazil squad ahead of Brentford trip
Chelsea have been handed a fresh setback after Joao Pedro was ruled out of Brazil’s upcoming international fixtures with a suspected knee injury.
Chelsea have been dealt an injury setback with Joao Pedro forced to withdraw from Brazil’s squad for the upcoming international break, adding another concern for Xabi Alonso after the striker missed training this week.
The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed that the Chelsea forward had suffered an injury and would not feature in the upcoming matches against Australia and India, with Fluminense’s Martinelli called into the squad as his replacement.
Pedro’s absence comes at an unfortunate time for both club and country, having started the season in impressive form for Chelsea and played the full 90 minutes in the recent 2-2 draw with Hull City, where he scored the equaliser.
The nature of the problem and how long he could be unavailable have not yet been disclosed, leaving Chelsea waiting for further medical information before assessing his availability for their next Premier League fixture against Brentford.
The timing is particularly significant for Alonso because Pedro has emerged as an important part of Chelsea’s attack since the start of the campaign, offering goals, movement and the ability to operate in several attacking positions.
His latest setback also interrupts a Brazil return after he was selected by Carlo Ancelotti for the international fixtures.
Pedro had been looking to build on his strong Chelsea performances and establish himself more firmly in the national-team picture, making the withdrawal another frustrating development.
Brazilian reports confirmed that the injury was already enough to keep him out of Chelsea training, while further details are expected once the club assesses the problem.
For Chelsea, the immediate focus will be on determining whether Pedro can recover quickly enough to avoid a longer absence and how Alonso will adjust his attacking options if the striker is unavailable.
