“They are yet to return after FIFA World Cup” – Graham Potter confirms two Chelsea players
Hakim Ziyech and Mateo Kovacic, two players for the French national team who recently competed in the just-concluded 2022 FIFA World Cup, have yet to return to Stamford Bridge, according to Chelsea manager Graham Potter.
Prior to Tuesday’s Premier League match between Chelsea and Bournemouth, Potter spoke at a press conference.
Recall that Kovacic played for Croatia at the World Cup in Qatar, while Ziyech represented Morocco.
The Atlas Lions were defeated 2-1 while playing against both Morocco and Croatia in the third-place playoff.
“Hakim and Mateo are still in the holding pattern. There was a high demand for the two because they participated in the third/fourth place play-off and played the games.
“It’s critical to give them some breathing room. As a result, they won’t be accessible for the game.
“Everyone else has returned, and we’ve trained with them for a few days now,”