Reece James has been ruled out again as the Chelsea star will miss the first three matches of the next Premier League season.
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James red carded against BrightonVAR prompted referee to send him offHas been suspended for four gamesWHAT HAPPENED?
James was sent off after an altercation with Brighton's Joao Pedro. The incident initially went unnoticed by referee Michael Salisbury, but following a VAR review, the club skipper was shown a red card for kicking out at Pedro. The suspension adds to the woes of a largely disappointing season for Chelsea, though they are finishing on a high note and is on the verge of sneaking into European competition next season following the 2-1 win against Brighton on Wednesday night.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
James will now face a four-game suspension: three matches for violent conduct and an additional one because it was his second red card for the season. He picked up his first marching orders in Chelsea's 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in November when he was booked twice.
WHAT POCHETIINO SAID
Mauricio Pochettino did not hide his disappointment and admitted that the sending-off was "painful" to say the least.
"Maybe it’s the frustration of him," he told reporters. "But, yes, painful. Painful because it was a fantastic night of football and he’s our captain and a really important player. I’m disappointed because now he’s going to miss the next game and maybe a few games in next season."
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Looking ahead, Chelsea must avoid defeat on Sunday to guarantee their sixth-place finish. However, they have a chance to climb even higher. If Chelsea can beat Bournemouth and Tottenham lose to Sheffield United, Pochettino's side could move up to fifth place, which would secure a spot in the Europa League. However, they need to overcome the Cherries without the services of James.