Emiliano Martinez underwent successful minor surgery after his sickening collision with Everton‘s Jarrad Branthwaite with Chelsea‘s goalkeeper set for weeks on the sidelines.
Xabi Alonso‘s men secured their first clean sheet of the Premier League season with the help of Martinez, who was injured while bravely coming to clear a 67th-minute set-piece. He was then replaced by 21-year-old Mike Penders for the remainder of Chelsea’s 2-0 victory.
The operation was believed to be for a jaw injury after Martinez had been carried away on a stretcher and taken to hospital. He was conscious as he left the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The 34-year-old Argentinian later released a statement from his hospital bed in which he wrote: ‘Thanks to everyone for the messages, the operation went well. The most important thing is that we won and with a bow at 0 (goals). We’ll be back in a few weeks.’
His wife, Mandinha, added it is ‘nothing serious’ and that he will ‘soon be back to normal’.
Between now and the November international break, Chelsea have to face Tottenham Hotspur at home (Premier League), Liverpool away (Carabao Cup), Manchester United at home (Premier League), and Sunderland away (Premier League).
Chelsea star Emiliano Martinez’s wife says his sickening head injury is ‘nothing serious’
Martinez was struck in a sickening collision during Chelsea’s win away at Everton
Penders, the Belgian who arrived this summer after a season on loan with Strasbourg, will fill in as Chelsea’s No 1 in the meantime. His potential is high, though this will see him promoted earlier than expected as Alonso had been keen for his goalkeeper to carry experience.
Penders had gone into this season hoping to become Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper when he thought he would be competing with Robert Sanchez.
However, mistakes made in Chelsea’s opening game of the season away at Fulham led to Sanchez hastily being loaned to Como, the Italian side managed by Cesc Fabregas.
Martinez was signed for £7.5million from Aston Villa as Sanchez’s replacement on a three-year contract, which, in Penders’ mind per sources, pushed him further away from the starting line-up.
Circumstances will now see the 6ft 7in youngster get his chance to show Alonso and everyone else how ready he is as Chelsea goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts prepares him for playing rivals Tottenham at Stamford Bridge this Saturday.
Penders did well in handling being thrown in at Everton, coming to clear one cross towards the back of his box which the away end appreciated and navigating the extra 13 minutes added on to the end of the game. Teddy Sharman-Lowe, 23, will act as Penders’ back-up.
