Chelsea will send nine senior players away on international duty during a long break from club action from September 21 to October 6. However, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro have both pulled out of their international squads, depriving England and Brazil of two influential Blues attackers.
That comes at an inopportune time for Xabi Alonso, whose team slumped to a demoralising 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Friday. That game left Chelsea in 10th place in the Premier League after conceding a division-high 12 goals in five league outings.
Meanwhile, Cole Palmer had been recalled by Thomas Tuchel following his controversial omission from the World Cup. But reports suggested a minor muscle problem, and his withdrawal has also been due to load management after four goals and two assists in seven games.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad has also lost Joao Pedro to the knee problem that ruled him out at Brentford. Meanwhile, Estevao Willian stays with Selecao for two friendlies with Australia and one more against India. Morgan Rogers remains with England, who face Spain at Wembley before playing Czechia twice and Croatia.
Summer signings Emiliano Martinez and Valentin Barco will travel across the Atlantic for Argentina’s three home friendly fixtures against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin. Belgium have called up goalkeeper Mike Penders and recalled Romeo Lavia for four Nations League matches, including two against France.
Maxence Lacroix has been named in Zinedine Zidane’s first France squad after Didier Deschamps left after 14 years in the role. Jorrel Hato has also been called up by new Netherlands boss Xavi Hernandez, while Pedro Neto is in Jorge Jesus’s first Portugal squad.
The international program ends just four days before Bournemouth travel to Stamford Bridge on October 10. So Alonso will be monitoring workloads and recuperation of his globetrotting contingent very closely.
Chelsea Academy Talents Awarded International Assignments Over Holiday
Alongside the experienced heads, a host of Chelsea’s younger brigade are being handed international responsibilities. England Under-21s complete their European Championship qualifying campaign this window with Jamie Gittens and Josh Acheampong as their stars.
The Young Lions have won six of their seven qualifying matches and will face Kazakhstan, Slovakia and the Republic of Ireland. They are looking for a third consecutive continental title with the 2027 tournament co-hosted by Albania and Serbia. Meanwhile, Geovany Quenda will be looking to extend Portugal Under-21s’ five-point lead at the top of their qualifying section.
Freddy Bernal and Chizaram Ezenwata are further down the pyramid linking up with England Under-19s, while summer recruit Alfie Osborne is with Scotland Under-19s. England Under-18s will take part in the eight-team UEFA Friendship Cup in Switzerland with Calvin Diakite and Jashayde Greenwood. Completing the list are Josh Henry, Heze Grimwade, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli and Reggie Watson, who have all been included in the England Under-17s’ friendly squad.