Estevao Injury: Progress, Potential Return Date for Chelsea Talent

The explosive winger lasted less than a quarter of the weekend defeat to Manchester United.

Not good news for Estêvão. | Izzy Poles/AMA/Getty Images

Chelsea face an uphill battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League, but the Blues will carry on that fight—at least for a little while—without teenage winger Estêvão.

The 18-year-old Brazilian has been a bright spark for Chelsea this season, scoring in three successive Champions League matches during the league phase. Consistent output is what his game currently lacks, something completely understandable for someone of his age. But it’s also worth noting that the team’s slide into freefall has coincided with his recent fitness troubles.

Estêvão has only started five of Chelsea’s last 16 Premier League matches, following an initial muscle injury in December. He was also granted compassionate leave at the end of January for undisclosed personal reasons, making it an altogether challenging period.

A second league start in a row, Estêvão was named in Liam Rosenior’s XI for Saturday’s visit of Manchester United. But while there had been hope that the youngster might be getting back into a rhythm of games after missing six across February and March, he was forced off after 16 minutes.

Alejandro Garnacho was the player who replaced him and Chelsea lost the match.

To qualify for the Champions League, making up a seven-point deficit on the Premier League’s top five in just five remaining matches will be close to impossible.

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What Injury Does Estevao Have?

Estêvão grimaced as he ran through on goal. | Glyn KIRK/AFP/Getty Images

Not long after recovering from a hamstring injury, another hamstring issue left Estêvão in tears.

“He was crying at halftime,” Rosenior told reporters afterwards.

“Really devastated for him. It looks like it’s his hamstring and that’s a moment actually when he’s running through on their goal for a one-v-one and pulls his hamstring in that moment. “

It is not yet clear how bad the injury is, with severity directly tied to recovery time.

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When Will Estevao Return From Injury?

Estêvão faces short-term uncertainty. | Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Until Chelsea know more detail, which will likely happen this coming week once any swelling reduces and scans can be done, there is no clarity on the length of Estêvão’s absence.

There is such a wide range when it comes to hamstring pulls, which can heal in days or months. Everything depends on the exact nature of each specific injury.

All that Rosenior could offer was: “I hope Estê comes back sooner rather than later.”

The Premier League campaign finishes on May 24, only five weeks away. With so little left, that makes it plausible—at least without further detail—that Estêvão might not play again this season.

For the player, on a personal level, missing out on a debut World Cup with Brazil might be an even harder blow. Until sitting out March’s international matches because of his previous hamstring injury, Estêvão had been included in every Selecão squad since November of 2024.

With Real Madrid’s Rodrygo definitely ruled out because of his own long-term knee injury, a starting spot on the right wing was potentially Estêvão’s for the taking. Now, that could be in doubt.

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