Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic injured during Serbia clash

Out of action: Ivanovic is expected to miss this month's match against Aston Villa
(Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
Simon Johnson9 October 2015

Chelsea have been handed a double injury scare after Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic limped off while playing for Serbia against Albania last night.

Ivanovic has suffered a hamstring problem, while Matic is believed to have a muscular complaint.

Both players will be assessed by Chelsea's medical department, but they are doubtful to face Aston Villa on October 17th.

The duo have struggled for form in a Chelsea shirt this season, but manager Jose Mourinho will still regard any possible absence as a blow.

Chelsea face an intense period of fixtures after the international break with seven matches being played over the space of three weeks.

Ivanovic has come under severe criticism from the club's supporters, but Mourinho explained after the 3-1 defeat to Southampton he didn't want to drop him due to reservations over £17.7m summer signing Abdul Baba Rahman.

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Talking about why the Ghana international has started just twice, he said: "Look, because Baba Rahman arrived in the last day, because he doesn't know what it is to play in this kind of championship. He had no pre-season with us. He needs time to learn, he needs time to adapt.

"At the same time, every team, except Maccabi Tel Aviv, is a team of giants. And if you don't have a minimum of five tall players good in the air, you are dead in set pieces.

"When I play Azpilicueta on the right and Baba Rahman on the left and I don't play Ivanovic, I have only three, not even four. So we have to think about all the details and I think about all the details."

Matic could be left out of the side against Aston Villa anyway having suffered the humiliation of being substituted just 28 minutes after coming off the bench in the Southampton clash.

Mourinho has already promised to play England Under-21 international Ruben Loftus-Cheek more, but Matic would still be expected to play a role during their busy schedule.

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