Chelsea travel to Sunderland missing Joao Pedro and Lacroix, says Alonso

Chelsea will travel to the Stadium of Light on Sunday for their Premier League clash with Sunderland, but Xabi Alonso confirmed that forward Joao Pedro and defender Maxence Lacroix still remain unavailable, having missed the recent 2‑0 victory over Manchester United; that means they will miss the match.

Alonso was direct when asked for an update about the trip. “No, not really updates,” he said. “For sure, we are not expecting them for Sunday.”

He added, “Let’s see after the international break the recovery that they have made. Ahead of the Leeds game, I will have more news but not today.”

Ahead of the Leeds fixture

Chelsea will reassess both players during the break and expect a clearer picture before the home game against Leeds on November 21.

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Lacroix left the Carabao Cup penalty‑shoot‑out defeat to Liverpool in the first half with a suspected hamstring injury, an ailment that rarely clears quickly.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is recovering from jaw surgery and midfielder Moisés Caicedo felt discomfort after the Manchester United win; both remain in contention with a Saturday training session set to decide their availability.

Defender Jorrel Hato is not fit, with Alonso stating it will take several weeks before he can return.

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Sunderland sit bottom of the Premier League table, while Chelsea retain enough quality to compete despite the injury list.