Injury mars Chelsea progress
An injury crisis at Stamford Bridge has taken the shine off Chelsea reaching the Champions League semi-final.
Carlo Cudicini joined Petr Cech on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, with third-choice goalkeeper Hilario taking his place in Chelsea's nervy 2-0 win over Fenerbahce.
Avram Grant is waiting on an update on Cudicini, knowing that the first-choice goalkeeper could be out for the rest of the season with a facial injury.
Hilario came off the bench for Cudicini at Stamford Bridge and, despite looking shaky with the ball at his feet, pulled off saves from Gokhan Gonul and Colin Kazim-Richards to keep Chelsea ahead.
"It is very important for a third goalkeeper to do a good job when you need him, and we have needed him this year," said Grant.
"It's not easy when you lose your goalkeeper. Hilario was good."
For the game against Wigan next Monday, it could be Hilario in goal and 18-year-old Rhys Taylor on the bench.
The Chelsea boss admitted this year he has seen his fair share of injury problems, saying: "This year I am more a doctor than a manager, I need to answer every week about injuries."
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
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