Estevao got injured in the game against Manchester United and had to be subbed off early in the first half itself. Liam Rosenior would reveal after the game that the Brazilian was devastated with the injury and was in tears at half-time. In the aftermath, it was suggested that the issue was not as serious as first feared.
Yet, that might not exactly be accurate either. Firstly, it has been confirmed that Estevao is not going to play again this season. Earlier reports had indicated he could be back in time to face Tottenham Hotspur. That is not the end of the story either.
It looks like Estevao might be trying to avoid undergoing surgery as he wants to play at the World Cup for Brazil.
According to Globo Esporte (via Chelsea.news), the club are playing hardball over allowing Estevao to travel to Brazil for treatment. But they have accepted his decision not to undergo surgery as it would ruin his chances of playing in the World Cup.
Estevao injury situation will worry Chelsea fans
Let’s just say that the entire thing is far from ideal. Seemingly, Estevao does not want to undergo surgery in order to feature at the World Cup. But what kind of risk does it pose for him?
What if Estevao ends up making it worse at the World Cup? If surgery were an option on the table, that suggests that this is not a minor injury.
Estevao is 19 years of age and it is understandable that he might be keen to represent his country at the World Cup. That being said, at times, it is important to protect players early in their careers. Is this the right decision? Or is there a risk it could derail his career if things go wrong?
Estevao needs to think about the long-term picture
Estevao is likely going to have the chance to play at three or four more World Cups for Brazil. Probably even five. But for that to happen, the Chelsea winger needs to make sure that he has a long career.
While not the same injury, the Samuel Umtiti situation is a good warning. Considered an elite centre-back early in his career at Barcelona, his career faded away completely due to a wrong decision.
According to The Sun, Umtiti chose not to have surgery against the advice of his club at the time, in order to play at the 2018 World Cup. And while he did win the tournament with France, he sustained chronic knee cartilage damage in the process and was never the same again.
So, Estevao needs to weigh up the risks here. Playing at this World Cup should not be as important as the long-term health of his career. Of course, the final decision lies with him.
