This archive report was first published on 22 December 2021.
Chelsea's Covid-19 crisis deepened on Tuesday, December 21, as Thomas Tuchel revealed the club must 'start from scratch' in selecting a squad for their League Cup quarter-final.
The decision comes after a fresh Covid-19 case was reported, leaving the team with limited options for their match against Brentford.
Chelsea were only able to name four outfield players on their bench for their goalless draw against Wolves on Sunday due to a wave of coronavirus infections and injuries.
Midfielder Lewis Baker was in line to feature at Brentford in Wednesday's League Cup quarter-final but has now tested positive himself.
Chelsea had their request to postpone their match at Wolves rejected, and the Premier League opted not to pause the schedule despite six of the 10 weekend games being called off.
On the same day, the English top flight reported 90 new coronavirus cases among players and staff last week, a significant increase from 42 in the previous week.
Thomas Tuchel expressed his disappointment but accepted the situation, stating, 'We accept the situation and the challenge. We had 14 (outfield) players (in the squad) and with a lot of them we took a huge risk. We did not feel fully safe.'
Meanwhile, Liverpool's assistant manager, Pep Lijnders, has criticized the 'absurd' festive fixture list, warning that the punishing demands on the remaining fit players could lead to injuries and a decrease in the quality of the game.
With several key players isolating due to Covid, Liverpool are expected to rotate heavily against Leicester on Wednesday and face two Premier League games in three days next week.
Lijnders stated, 'We think it is absurd we have to play within 48 hours because it is a much higher risk of injury and the quality of the game will not be as good.'
