Chelsea injury, suspension list ahead of their first game back

Chelsea return to Premier League action with a trip to face relegation-threatened Aston Villa on the weekend of June 19-21, and they will be thrust straight back into a battle for Champions League qualification.

Frank Lampard's side won just two of their final seven Premier League games before lockdown, a run of form which saw their lead over fifth-placed Manchester United slimmed to only three points.

However, the three-month stoppage has allowed a number of key players to return to fitness, with Tammy Abraham, Mateo Kovacic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic and N'Golo Kante among those to have shaken off problems.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up the Chelsea players who are still injury and suspension concerns.

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Status: Major doubt Type of injury: Coronavirus concerns Possible return date: Unknown

While injury is no longer an issue for Kante, the midfielder has expressed concerns over returning to training in the midst of the pandemic. The Frenchman is now back in individual training, but Chelsea will not put any pressure on him to come back into the fold until he his happy to do so.

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Status: Out Type of injury: Knee Possible return date: Unknown

Marco van Ginkel's contract at Chelsea is due to expire on June 30 and it is unlikely he will feature for the club again before that, having suffered a torturous time with injuries in recent years.

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Status: Out

Jorginho will miss the trip to Villa as he serves the second of his two-match Premier League suspension for accumulating 10 yellow cards.