Maurizio Sarri has admitted that he ‘made a mistake’ by selecting N’Golo Kante after he picked up an injury in today’s 3-0 win over Watford.
The dynamic midfielder had to be withdrawn after just 10 minutes of today’s Premier League game at Stamford Bridge after sustaining an injury to his hamstring.
Today’s game was Kante’s 52nd appearance of the season for Chelsea, the most he has ever made in a single campaign, with this season coming on the back of his exertions for France in last summers World Cup.
Maurizio Sarri has often rotated his star players for the Blues’ Europa League matches, although he decided to play Kante for the full 90 minutes against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night.
However, it is a decision that looks like it may have backfired, with Maurizio Sarri taking responsibility for the injury suffered by the 28-year-old midfielder.
“He has a problem with his hamstring, but I think I made a mistake, he should have rested today,” he told Sky Sports.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to put someone on the bench so important like Eden Hazard or Kante – it’s a risk.”
Kante is almost certain to miss the return leg against Frankfurt on Thursday as well as Chelsea’s final Premier League game against Leicester next weekend, although Sarri suggested that he could be available for the Europa League final on May 29 in Baku.
“We will wait for the morning, it’s very difficult to recover for the next two matches. We have to recover him for the final.”
Read: Chelsea board ‘unimpressed’ at Hazard Europa League exclusion
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