Two key Chelsea players at risk of missing second leg of Champions League tie vs PSG
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Two key Chelsea midfielders, Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos, are at risk of missing the second leg match of the Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain due to suspensions.
Chelsea have had a poor disciplinary record this season, and while not as bad as in the Premier League, this remains the case in the Champions League.
In UEFA competitions, including the Champions League, players and officials will serve suspensions for accumulating three yellow cards that did not result in a red card, as well as following any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, etc).
As it stands, three Chelsea players are already on two yellow cards: Fernandez, Andrey Santos, and Joao Pedro.
In Joao Pedro's case, he received both his yellow cards in the win over Benfica in early October, which led to his dismissal in that game and, consequently, his suspension against Ajax a few weeks later.
Unlike Joao Pedro, however, both Fernandez and Andrey Santos are each one caution away from a one-match suspension in the competition.
Yellow cards do not expire until the completion of the quarter-finals, so the pair will continue to be on a suspension tightrope in both legs.
Considering Liam Rosenior's reliance on these two midfielders, their suspension could spell trouble for Chelsea's Champions League chances.
While for PSG, Nuno Mendes is currently their only player in a similar situation, having accumulated two yellow cards and one caution away from a suspension.
On the other hand, eight Chelsea players, including Moises Caicedo, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, and Wesley Fofana, have each received one yellow card in the competition, compared to PSG's five.
Gerry Crisandy is a freelance writer who has covered Chelsea for many years. His work has been published on The Chelsea Chronicle and Pride of London. He grew up idolising Michael Ballack and is a firm believer in expected goals.