Chelsea FC received a painful blow before the start of their match against Brazilian Palmeiras in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup, after star Reece James was injured during warm-up.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, James was included in the starting lineup for the match, but felt muscular discomfort during the warm-up, which forced the coaching staff to exclude him from the match at the last moment.

The source indicated that coach Enzo Maresca decided to bring in young player Andre Santos as a replacement for James to quickly adjust the defensive plan before the match began.

This injury is a significant blow for Chelsea in a crucial match against one of the top clubs in South America, given the important role James plays on the right flank.