The first of this season’s international breaks is already upon us, with a number of Chelsea players heading off to represent their respective nations in this rather slow period of international friendlies and qualifiers.
However after a dreadful start to the season, especially by Chelsea’s standards, this break may have arrived at a good time for the Blues. Four points from our opening four league fixtures have left everybody scratching their heads as to what has gone wrong.
For once though, it seems the international break may just benefit us.
The latest round of international fixtures begin on Thursday 3rd September, and here at Read Chelsea, we’ve compiled a comprehensive round-up of all our players who are in action for their respective international sides for this set of fixtures, who is playing who and when they’ll be playing.
England are sitting pretty at the top of Group E, and Gary Cahill will be hoping to feature for the Three Lions against San Marino away on Saturday 5th September, before hosting Switzerland at Wembley on Tuesday 8th September.
Chelsea youngsters Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Nathaniel Chalobah are included in Gareth Southgate’s England Under-21 squad to face the USA on Thursday 3rd September, before beginning their Euro 2017 Under-21 qualifying campaign against Norway on Monday 7th September.
Ola Aina has been selected in England’s Under-20 squad to face the Czech Republic, whilst Dominic Solanke, Izzy Brown, Jake Clarke-Salter and Tammy Abraham will all be hoping to feature for England’s Under-19’s, as they face Germany on Friday 4th September and Croatia on Monday 7th September.
Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois will face off against teammate Asmir Begovic when Belgium take on Bosnia-Herzegovina in Brussels on Thursday 3rd September, before Belgium face an away trip to Cyprus on Sunday 6th September. Begovic’s Bosnia will then host Andorra, also on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Charley Musonda will be hoping to feature for Belgium’s Under-21’s when they face Latvia on Friday 4th September.
Branislav Ivanovic has endured a shaky start to the season, as has Nemanja Matic; though both have been named in Serbia’s squad.
Serbia open this round of qualifiers sitting bottom in Group I, with a home fixture against Armenia on Friday 4th September, before a potential meeting with Kurt Zouma, as France host Serbia in a friendly in Bordeaux on Monday 7th September.
Prior to this, Zouma will be hoping to feature for France in another friendly, this time away against Portugal on Friday 4th September.
Four Blues players have been included in Spain’s squad for this round of qualifiers. New signing Pedro joins up with teammates Cesar Azpilicueta (Dave), Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa as Spain face Slovakia at home on Saturday 5th September.
Spain are surprisingly three points behind Saturday’s opponents, however, and face a trip to Macedonia on Tuesday 8th September hoping for two wins out of two during this international break.
Andreas Christensen, who is on a season-long loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, has been called up from Denmark’s Under-21 squad to the senior side. Christensen will be hoping to feature for Denmark as they host Albania on Friday 4th September, before a trip to Armenia on Monday 7th September.
Youngster Tomas Kalas, who is currently on loan at Middlesborough, has been called up to the Czech Republic senior squad for their forthcoming European qualifiers against Kazakhstan on Thursday 3rd September and Latvia on Sunday 6th September.
Away from European qualifiers and friendlies to Africa, where Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers are taking place.
Burkina Faso international Bertrand Traore will be hoping to start against Botswana on Saturday 5th September, whilst new signing Baba Rahman and on-loan youngster Christian Atsu starred for Ghana in a 3-2 friendly win away against Congo on Tuesday 1st September. They are both set to feature again for Ghana against Rwanda on Saturday 5th September.
Mohamed Salah, on a season-long loan at Roma, has been included in Egypt’s squad to face Chad on Sunday 6th September, whilst youngster Kenneth Omeruo has been called up to Nigeria’s squad as they prepare to face Tanzania on Saturday 5th September.
Over to South America, where Willian is included in the Brazil squad for friendlies against Cost Rica, on Saturday 5th September, and the USA on Tuesday 8th September. Ramires and Oscar were also included in the squad but were forced to pull out due to injuries.
New signing Kenedy is in Brazil’s Under-20 squad which faces France on Tuesday 8th September.
Continuing at youth level, Nathan Ake and Marco Van Ginkel, who are both out on loan at Watford and Stoke respectively, are in Holland’s Under-21 squad for their Euro 2017 qualifying fixtures against Cyprus on Friday 4th September and Turkey on Tuesday 8th September.
So, there is plenty to sink your teeth into this international break, and we’ll have a full round-up of how Chelsea’s international stars fared here on Read Chelsea so don’t panic if you miss any of the action!
