Chelsea Injury Rate Surges Amid Club World Cup Participation
Chelsea experienced a 44% increase in injuries between June and October compared to last season, a rise linked to their participation in the Club World Cup and its aftermath. During this period, they suffered 23 injuries, including seven during the Club World Cup held in the United States, mirroring Paris Saint-Germain's seven injuries at the same event. This injury spike led to significant consequences for the club, including missing five defenders and losing three consecutive matches across the Champions League and Premier League.
The increased injury toll has had a substantial financial impact: Chelsea's injury-related wage losses totaled £17 million up to October, which amounts to around a quarter of the £80 million prize money they earned at the Club World Cup and exceeds a third of the £45 million lost last season due to injuries. In response to the injury crisis, Chelsea's manager Maresca made five squad changes during their Champions League defeat against Atalanta.
An analysis of European football injuries, reflected in Howden's European Injury Index, values injuries in Europe's top five leagues over five years at nearly £3 billion, with Premier League injuries accounting for approximately 24% of this total. Manchester United recorded the highest injury-related costs in the Premier League at £154.5 million.
The report also highlights the vulnerability of youth players, noting that Premier League forwards under the age of 21 averaged an injury every 120 minutes of play. Concerns about workload and sustained scheduling have been raised by Fifpro and the Professional Footballers’ Association, emphasizing the strain on players year-round. Following the Club World Cup, Chelsea rested players for about 20 days, while PSG rested theirs for approximately 22 days.
