Xabi Alonso Confirms Moises Caicedo Will Miss Leeds Tie

Xabi Alonso rules Moises Caicedo out of Leeds tie but hints at weekend return

Chelsea will have to navigate their Carabao Cup clash with Leeds without Moises Caicedo, with Xabi Alonso refusing to gamble on the midfielder’s fitness.

Caicedo missed the defeat to Arsenal and has not yet shaken off the injury that sidelined him for that game. Alonso made it clear he will not rush the Ecuadorian back.

“No, not yet. Still not ready to go,” the Chelsea head coach said when asked about Caicedo and fellow summer signing Marco Palestra. “Not the moment to take too early risk. So we go game by game with them and it's too early.”

Palestra will also sit out the Leeds tie as he continues to build up towards full fitness, leaving Chelsea light in key areas as they chase a place in the next round.

The outlook for Caicedo is not all bleak, though. Alonso opened the door to a possible return for Saturday’s Premier League fixture, but only if the medical signs are right.

“Potentially, yes,” he said when pressed on whether Caicedo could feature at the weekend. “But we need to wait and probably Thursday, Friday, we'll know more.”

There was at least one boost for Chelsea. Levi Colwill, an unused substitute against Arsenal, is now fully available and in contention to start against Leeds.

“He's okay,” Alonso confirmed. “He's okay for tomorrow.”

The absentees do not end there. Jordan Henderson and Emmanuel Emegha will also miss the Carabao Cup tie as they continue their own recoveries, leaving Alonso to juggle his options once again.

“Ask me on Friday. Ask me on Friday.”