Injured Loftus-Cheek could miss final

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a doubt for the Europa League final after limping off injured in Chelsea’s end-of-season friendly against MLS side New England Revolution.

The England midfielder appeared to turn his ankle on a poor pitch during the game in Massachusetts and had to be helped from the pitch.

Loftus-Cheek left the ground on crutches wearing a protective boot with Chelsea’s medical staff waiting to find out the full extent of the injury.

Chelsea face rivals Arsenal in their all-London European final in 13 days and Loftus-Cheek’s fellow midfielder N’Golo Kante’s fitness is already a concern, with the Frenchman having missed the final two games of the domestic season because of a hamstring problem sustained in the Premier League win over Watford on 5 May.

Blues boss Maurizio Sarri had expressed his concern about playing the friendly in the United States with the Europa League final against the Gunners in Baku, Azerbaijan on Wednesday, May 29 still to play.

The match was staged to raise both money for, and the profile of, Chelsea’s ‘Say No To Antisemitism’ campaign and combat all forms of discrimination.

Owner Roman Abramovich – who arranged the match with New England Revolution owner Robert Kraft – was in attendance.