Terrible news hit Chelsea FC as another Chelsea forward is expected to be unavailable for the upcoming match against Newcastle due to a recently discovered injury sustained in the Carabao Cup.

Chelsea’s manager Enzo Maresca will be missing an important squad member for Saturday’s early Premier League match at Newcastle United following their Carabao Cup victory against Cardiff City.

The highly-regarded young winger Estevão Willian was absent from the squad for that midweek cup tie. Maresca explained to reporters that the 18-year-old Brazilian is dealing with a minor muscular issue, which will rule him out of the Newcastle fixture, with his status for subsequent matches still to be determined.

Since his arrival from Palmeiras last summer, Estevão has made a strong early impression, scoring five goals in 21 appearances. The coaching staff has been carefully managing his minutes, and he has recently been used primarily as a substitute. While players like Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho have been preferred starters, Estevão would likely have featured against Cardiff had he been fit. Instead, he faces a period of recovery and will definitely miss the trip to St. James’ Park.

This situation provides a potential advantage for Newcastle manager Eddie Howe as his team seeks to rebound from a recent derby loss to Sunderland. Newcastle’s immediate focus, however, is a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Fulham on Wednesday.

Howe also confirmed a significant injury setback for his own squad, revealing that defender Dan Burn is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks with rib and lung injuries sustained in a collision last weekend. This adds to Newcastle’s defensive concerns, with several other defenders—including Sven Botman, Emil Krafth, and Kieran Trippier—also currently unavailable. Captain Jamaal Lascelles, however, has returned to training following a muscle problem.