(Football News) During Wednesday’s pre-season match against Borussia Dortmund at Soldier Field stadium in Chicago, Chelsea’s recent acquisition, Christopher Nkunku, had to be substituted due to a knee injury. The incident occurred early in the game, in the ninth minute, when Nkunku went down clutching his leg after a challenge. Despite the less-than-ideal condition of the pitch following an Ed Sheeran concert held over the weekend, Chelsea’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino, refrained from attributing the injury to the pitch.

Chelsea’s Nkunku, who was secured for a substantial fee of nearly 60 million pounds ($76.19 million), was visibly uncomfortable and had to leave the field in the middle of the first half. Later, the 25-year-old was spotted with an ice-pack strapped to his knee.

“We are currently assessing Nkunku’s condition with the medical team, and I’m optimistic that it won’t turn out to be a significant concern,” remarked Pochettino. “During the play, there was an incident that could have been a potential penalty, and he felt something in his knee. However, we are keeping our fingers crossed that it’s not a major issue.”

“We are hoping for a swift return to the team. It will take a few days for a comprehensive evaluation,” Pochettino added.

Soldier Field stadium, boasting a seating capacity of 61,500, saw an unprecedented turnout of 73,000 attendees for the concert, resulting in fans converging onto the pitch surrounding the stage.

“We took certain risks given that the pitch is far from perfect. The venue primarily caters to a different sport, and this sort of tour sometimes comes with inherent risks,” Pochettino explained.

“We’re not going to attribute the injury to the pitch. From my perspective, it was simply a stroke of unfortunate luck.”

Dortmund’s Marius Wolf found the net, but Chelsea’s 19-year-old forward Mason Burstow leveled the score in the 89th minute, allowing the London team to conclude their pre-season tour without a single defeat.

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