Hakim Ziyech was forced off with a shoulder injury during the UEFA Super Cup clash between Chelsea and Villarreal on Wednesday night.
The forward had been playing well prior to the incident, giving his side the lead with a swept finish just before the half hour mark.
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However, soon after the goal, he had to receive treatment after twisting his shoulder when jockeying with Juan Foyth in the final third. The incident looked innocuous but Ziyech immediately looked in real discomfort and cradled his arm in his short as he walked off.
It is not the first time his Chelsea career has been stifled by injury. Ziyech spent some of his maiden campaign on the sidelines with a knee and hip problem. He struggled overall, registering just six goals and four assists in 39 appearances.
There was also reports suggesting that he was struggling to gel with new manager Thomas Tuchel. He was even linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.
There were some highlights from his first season, though, such as his winner in the FA Cup semi-finals against Manchester City. Furthermore, there was hope that Ziyech might have turned a corner as he had put in some excellent performances in pre-season.
He would have been a shoo-in to start Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on Saturday but his injury means he will likely be watching from the stands.
Chelsea started the Super Cup final strongly with Timo Werner and captain N’Golo Kante forcing good saves out of Sergio Asenjo. They eventually got their reward with 27 minutes on the clock. The move started with Marcos Alonso who set Kai Havertz free with a through ball. The German then crossed to Ziyech, who made no mistake from seven-yards out.
