Chelsea defender Reece James spoke about his frustration over his recent injury spell as he provides more updates on his recovery.
The 22-year-old sustained a knee injury during Chelsea’s 2-0 win over AC Milan at San Siro last month and was out of action for a couple of months.
James was finally back on the pitch on Friday, although he is yet to fully recover, as the Blues undergo a warm weather camp in Abu Dhabi.
The Chelsea academy graduate tried his best to recover in time for the 2022 World Cup, but, unfortunately, he missed out on what would have been his experience in the tournament.
“It’s been frustrating, a lot,” the England international told Chelsea TV.
“Obviously, missing the World Cup and [recovery] taking longer than I first hoped, but it’s good to be back with the team.
“It was my first session today, which was light contact. It’s good to be back.
“Every day is tough, especially when you’re trying to get back out there and fight for the team.
“It’s a struggle sometimes, but coming towards the end of it, you start to see light, and that’s when good things come.”
On a more positive note, James will likely be ready for action for Premier League match against Bournemouth on 27 December.
The 25-man squad that travelled to the United Arab Emirates will first play a friendly match against Aston Villa on Sunday in the country’s capital, but it remains unclear whether James will be involved in Graham Potter’s plan for the game.
A few days ago, Potter said that James and Wesley Fofana are the closest to returning among Chelsea’s six injured players (via Chelsea’s official website).
The other four; Ben Chilwell, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Kepa Arrizabalaga, are progressing well with their rehabilitation too.
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