Chelsea: Fatigue and injuries... are Blues and PSG victims of the Club World Cup?

The expanded Club World Cup, played in the middle of this year, was a success in terms of social media engagement and audience in almost the entire world. The cost of this, however, was the European calendar becoming even tighter and practically without a pre-season. More than a month after the start of 2025-26, the two finalists of the competition, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, are showing the effects of this.

The pair had less than a month between the Club World Cup final on 13th July until returning to training before the current season. The Blues still managed to hold two pre-season friendlies on eighth and 10th August, until their Premier League debut on the 17th of last month.

The Parisians, on the other hand, had their preparation even more shortened by the UEFA Super Cup match against Tottenham on 13th August, when they won on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time.

The negative result of this short preparation period, with some players who already had shorter holidays in 2024 due to the European Championship and Copa America, appears in just eight official matches for each side.

Injuries already tormenting PSG

This Saturday (27th), both English and French sides took to the pitch. PSG won and regained the Ligue 1 lead, but not without paying a price. With just 35 minutes gone, Vitinha was substituted due to an as yet unknown injury. The Portuguese spoke with doctors after arriving at the substitutes' bench.

Afterwards, it was Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's turn to feel his thigh and be taken off at half-time. Earlier, in the middle of the first half, he suffered a challenge from Marvin Senaya. The Georgian had already missed training sessions after being substituted at the half-hour mark in the match against Lens two weeks ago.

The medical department of the team coached by Luis Enrique is already full. Best player in the world Ousmane Dembele is injured, as are Joao Neves, Marquinhos and Desire Doue. All of them, who are starters, are out of the clash against Barcelona in the Champions League, scheduled for next Wednesday (1st).

It remains to be seen what the situation will be with Vitinha and Kvara, which could make the team even more disfigured. Rested, Fabian Ruiz also missed today's match and it is not yet certain whether he will take to the pitch in four days' time.

"Unfortunately, I cannot say anything [about the injuries to the two]. It is not something positive, but we need to wait for the medical team to know on Sunday or Monday what type of injury it is. [...] You have to be positive. Knowing how to deal with this is important. Injuries do not only affect PSG, but all teams that have an intense calendar," said Luis Enrique.

Possible PSG line-up against Barcelona if injuries to Vitinha and Kvaratskhelia are confirmed: Chevalier; Hakimi, Zabarnyi, Pacho and Nuno Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Ruiz (Mayulu) and Lee; Barcola, Goncalo Ramos and Mbaye.

PSG have not yet dropped in performance. It is true that the team only manage and win without much force in the French Championship, but they were worse than Tottenham in the Super Cup title and lost to Olympique de Marseille for the first time in 14 years in Ligue 1. The high point was the domination against Atalanta in the 4-0 victory in the Champions League opener.

Chelsea suffer with irregularity and also physical problems

The excitement at Stamford Bridge after the world title has already ended. Lack of concentration and individual errors mark the start of the season for the blue side of London, who have only won two of their seven matches between the Premier League and Champions League.

The mistakes and sendings-off of a Chelsea who have not yet found themselves in 2025-26 marked the defeats to Manchester United, Bayern Munich and even at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Enzo Maresca for the first time appears out of sync with the club's management. Blues directors were spotted heading towards the dressing room after today's setback - the manager explained that this is normal because there is a room where discussions take place after matches.

On 15th August, the Italian, after the injury that rules out Levi Colwill, the team's best defender, for the rest of the season, made it clear that he thinks differently from his directors.

"I think we need a centre-back. We are looking for an internal solution, but, as I said, the club knows exactly what I think," he revealed at the time.

Colwill's absence adds to the injuries of fellow defenders Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo, both out at least until the international break. Team star Cole Palmer has felt an old groin injury again and, to avoid having surgery, should only return on 18th October, after the international matches.

"We decided to protect Cole a little, so that the injury does not get worse. We decided to let him rest for the next two or three weeks, until the international break. We will see with this rest if he will be 100% fit after the international break. I do not think he needs surgery; it is just a matter of managing the groin pain. With this amount of matches, these things can happen."

Of course injuries are common in any team. Barcelona, for example, had the perfect pre-season and go into the clash against PSG without Gavi, Raphinha and Joan Garcia due to physical issues. However, the quantity and type of problem in those injured, in addition to irregularity in performance, draw attention at the Parisian club and at Chelsea and it is impossible to dissociate from what happened at the World Cup.

The issue also serves as a warning to Real Madrid. The competition semi-finalists saw Bellingham, Endrick and Camavinga recover from injuries recently, but they will lose Antonio Rudiger and Alexander-Arnold for a few months.

This article was originally published on Trivela.