Xabi Alonso Confirms Pedro and Lacroix Out for Sunderland Trip
Chelsea will head to the Stadium of Light on Sunday without Joao Pedro and Maxence Lacroix, as Xabi Alonso confirmed both remain sidelined and are unlikely to be seen again before the international break.
The pair missed last weekend’s 2-0 win over a 10-man Manchester United and will again watch from afar when the Blues face bottom‑of‑the‑table Sunderland in their final outing before a two‑week pause in the calendar.
Pedro’s absence has been particularly abrupt. The forward was a late scratch from the rare home defeat to Tottenham after suffering a thigh injury in training on the eve of that game, and he has not featured since. Lacroix’s issue has been more ominous: the defender limped off late in the first half of the Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out loss to Liverpool with a suspected hamstring problem that has already been described as potentially long term.
Alonso, speaking at Cobham on Friday afternoon, offered little optimism over either player’s immediate prospects.
“No, not really updates,” he said when asked about their recovery. “For sure, we are not expecting them for Sunday.
“Let’s see after the international break the recovery that they have made. Ahead of the Leeds game, I will have more, but not today.”
Chelsea resume their season at home to Leeds on November 21, the first fixture after the break and the earliest realistic return window for both Pedro and Lacroix.
Fitness calls for Sunderland
Before that, Alonso still has decisions to make. Saturday’s training session, the last before the squad travel north, will determine whether Emi Martinez and Moises Caicedo are ready to be involved.
Martinez is edging back after jaw surgery, a delicate recovery that Chelsea have managed cautiously. Caicedo, meanwhile, reported discomfort following the win over United and will be assessed again before a final call is made on his involvement at Sunderland.
The news is less encouraging for Jorrel Hato. The Dutch defender will play no part this weekend and is facing a longer spell out.
“No, no, no — he is not fit,” Alonso said. “It will take him some more weeks to be fit.”
So Chelsea go into a potentially tricky away game light on options in key areas, knowing that any points dropped will have to sit and fester for a fortnight. The break may bring bodies back — but first, Alonso must navigate 90 more minutes with what he has.
