An assist and a red card. How the Chelsea captain returned to the field after injury

Chelsea captain Reece James returns to the pitch in a previous Premier League match. He had missed several months due to injury. The last time the defender appeared on the pitch was in December 2023.

The full-back appeared on the field in the game against Nottingham Forest. In the match against the Forest, James entered the field in the 79th minute, and just three minutes later, he provided an assist to striker Nicolas Jackson, who scored the third goal for the Blues. This goal secured victory for the Londoners.

In the rescheduled 34th round Premier League match, James came on in the 69th minute. However, he didn't finish the match. Two minutes before the end of regular time, the Chelsea captain made a challenge on a Brighton player, resulting in him receiving a straight red card. It was a rather unclear and unjustified expulsion.

"It's difficult for me to express my opinion because I didn't have time to review the replay of that moment. But it's a painful loss, as it was a wonderful football evening, and he's an important player. Now he will miss the next match and several matches in the upcoming season," stated Chelsea's manager, Mauricio Pochettino.

It is worth noting that Chelsea secured a convincing victory over Brighton in the rescheduled 34th round of the Premier League. The Blues now have 60 points, three more than their closest pursuers, and occupy sixth place in the table.