Chelsea are hopeful Mikel Obi will recover from a knee problem in time for Wednesday’s Champions League game against Maribor.
The Nigerian midfielder was unavailable for Saturday’s derby victory against QPR but boss Jose Mourinho believes Mikel could be included in the squad for the trip to Slovenia.
Mikel was injured in the Blues Capital One Cup game against Shrewsbury last week in which they won 2-1.
“We had some good performances; Zouma, Ake, Christensen – and Mikel in difficult circumstances. He (Mikel) gave everything in that game and he had a problem with his knee,” Mourinho said on the club’s official website.
The Portuguese said he was hopeful the Nigerian would be available to boost the squad in their crucial encounter tomorrow.
“I hope so (that Mikel will be fit). I’m not sure, but I do hope so,” said Mourinho, who has also warned his side against complacency ahead of this week’s Group G match.
Mikel, 27, has found his first-team opportunities limited, largely because of Nemanja Matic’s outstanding displays.
He has not started a Premier League match this season and his only start of the campaign so far came in the Capital One Cup win at home to Bolton in September.
Ramires, meanwhile, could feature in the Maribor game after overcoming a recent muscle injury. The Brazilian came on as a late substitute against QPR.
Mikel will also be in a race to be fit ahead of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Africa and Congo next week.
