Emiliano Martínez was stretchered off the pitch at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday after a collision left the Argentine goalkeeper with a fractured jaw. Chelsea have since confirmed that he underwent surgery and that the operation was successful.
The injury happened in the second half of Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League win over Everton, a result that also handed the Blues their first clean sheet of the season. It was a moment of real promise for the club, though Martínez's exit cast a shadow over what should have been a straightforward celebration.
The timeline for his return remains unclear. Chelsea say they will monitor his recovery closely before giving any firm indication of when he could be back between the sticks. Head coach Xabi Alonso will need to work with the goalkeeping options available to him in the meantime.
For a goalkeeper who is central to how Chelsea organise at the back, this is the kind of absence the club will feel. How long it lasts is the question everyone connected to the club is waiting to have answered.
Originally published by NotJustOk.