Soccer:Chelsea have confirmed that Michael Essien is unlikely to play again this season. The Ghana international will miss this weekend's game against Stoke at Stamford Bridge, despite reports to the contrary, and Chelsea are resigned to finishing the title run-in and playing the FA Cup final without his services.
The midfielder has not appeared for Chelsea since December when he tore a hamstring in the Champions League and then hurt his knee on international duty at the African Nations Cup.
Having suffered some complications in his rehabilitation, the 27-year-old is now unlikely to figure again for the Blues this season.
"Michael Essien will not be in the squad for the weekend's game against Stoke City at Stamford Bridge," said a club spokesman. "We were hoping that Michael recovered before the final game but it now looks unlikely that he will feature for us again this season."
Essien had hoped to be back in action in time for Chelsea's home Champions League leg against Inter Milan.
But his knee continued to swell-up and the player underwent four lots of surgery inside a fortnight. Chelsea have Stoke, Liverpool and Wigan to play in the league and Portsmouth in the FA Cup final at Wembley, but Essien is to miss them all.