CHELSEA were handed a boost ahead of facing Juventus with Paolo Dybala and Alvaro Morata both ruled out.
The Blues head to Turin for Wednesday night’s Group H Champions League clash.
But the Italians will be severely understrength in attack with two of their forwards injured.
Dybala, 27, scored a long-range stunner in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Sampdoria.
But he limped off in tears with a pulled left thigh and buried his head in his shirt – thinking he could be out of action for a prolonged period.
Morata consoled his team-mate as he trudged off the pitch.
But the former Chelsea striker will also have to watch the midweek tie from the stands after picking up a right hamstring problem.
Both players were assessed on Monday morning at the Juventus training ground.
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And they will definitely miss the next two matches – Chelsea on Wednesday and then Torino on Saturday – before the international break.
A Juve statement said: “Diagnostic tests were carried out this morning at J Medical.
“The results showed for Alvaro Morata a low-grade muscle injury of the hamstring in the right thigh.
“For Paulo Dybala an elongation of the semitendinosus muscle in the left thigh.
“Both will be available after the international break.”
Manager Max Allegri added: “Morata and Dybala will not be there against Chelsea or Torino. We will see after the break.”
Dybala and Morata are Juventus’ top scorers this season with three goals each in all competitions.
And it means on-loan Everton striker Moise Kean, who has found the net once, looks on course to lead the line against Thomas Tuchel’s European champions.
