Xabi Alonso Confirms Moises Caicedo Out for Leeds Match
Xabi Alonso shuts door on Caicedo return for Leeds tie as Chelsea tread carefully
Moises Caicedo will play no part when Chelsea host Leeds in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, with Xabi Alonso adamant he will not gamble on the midfielder’s fitness again.
The Ecuador captain has endured a stuttering start to the season. He sat out the opening two league games against Fulham and Luton, then came off the bench against Brighton in that wild 4-3 win, only to last just 14 minutes before breaking down.
That brief cameo has proved costly. Caicedo missed Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Arsenal and Alonso has since admitted Chelsea pushed him back too quickly for the Brighton game, a decision he has no intention of repeating.
After the loss at the Emirates, Alonso accepted responsibility, conceding he and the club “may have rushed” the 22-year-old and vowing not to make the “same mistake again”.
The message on Tuesday was even clearer.
Asked directly whether Caicedo was fit to face Leeds, Alonso replied: “No. Not yet. Still not ready to go. Not the moment to take a too-early risk. We go game by game with them. It’s too early.”
The priority now is to get him right for the longer haul, not for one cup tie under the lights at Stamford Bridge.
There is at least a glimmer of hope on the horizon. When pressed on whether Caicedo could return against Hull, Alonso allowed: “Potentially, yes. But we need to wait and probably Thursday or Friday we will know more.”
So Leeds comes too soon. Hull, perhaps, becomes the next circle on the calendar.
Alonso did offer some better news elsewhere. Levi Colwill is available again, a welcome boost to a squad that has already been stretched. Marco Palestra, though, remains sidelined after an untimely setback on the eve of the season.
“Especially for (Palestra). He came with huge energy, huge desire to enjoy his game in the PL,” Alonso said. “He had a very good pre-season. Right in the days before Fulham, he picked up an injury. We will need him, for sure. He will add a lot of good potential for the team.”
Chelsea will also be without Jordan Henderson and Emmanuel Emegha for the Leeds tie, trimming Alonso’s options further as he looks to balance rotation with the need for a response after the defeat at Arsenal.
Leeds, by contrast, arrive with far fewer concerns. They carry almost a clean bill of health, with Daniel James the only major doubt as he battles nagging back and hamstring issues and faces a late fitness test.
Chelsea, then, go into a knockout tie with key pieces missing and a manager refusing to blink on fitness calls. The temptation to rush Caicedo back again is obvious. Alonso’s stance makes it just as obvious he has learned his lesson.
