Cech to miss season start
Thursday, 22 July 2010 11:45
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is set to miss the start of the 2010-11 Premier League season after tearing his right calf muscle in training on Tuesday.
Cech is expected to be out for a month, during which Chelsea play three pre-season games and the Community Shield against Manchester United on 8 August.
The Blues open their Premier League title defence against West Brom on 14 August and face Wigan a week later.
The 28-year-old Czech missed a month with a similar problem last season.
He fell in agony after taking a cross during Chelsea's Champions League defeat at Inter Milan in February, but returned in time to help them win a maiden league and FA Cup Double.
Cech also tore his right calf muscle in a Champions League match against Schalke 04 in November 2007.
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is able to call upon Portuguese Henrique Hilario or former England Under-20 keeper Ross Turnbull - a free transfer from Middlesbrough in 2009 - as a replacement.
Cech, a £7m signing from Rennes in 2004, is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
His career almost ended in October 2006 when he required surgery for a skull fracture after a collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt.
Cech was out for three months and has since worn a protective headguard during games.
