Chelsea given boost as club doctors confirm Alvaro Morata’s hamstring injury is ‘not serious’
In-form striker will be ruled out of the international break but could return to face Crystal Palace in two weeks time
CHELSEA have been handed a boost after learning that Alvaro Morata's injury is "not serious."
The in-form Spaniard was forced off the field after just 35 minutes in the 1-0 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.
Morata was clutching his hamstring as he limped off sparking fears that he could be spending weeks on the sidelines.
But it appears the £65million signing will just be ruled out of the international break according to boss Antonio Conte.
Reported by the Times, the Italian said: "It's a muscular problem.
“I don’t think it’s a serious problem because he stopped before it will become a serious injury. He said to me, ‘Coach, I prefer to stop myself otherwise I risk a bad injury.’
"The doctor now in the next days has to check the situation, but I don’t think he’s available for the national team.”
Morata, who has scored six times in his first six league starts, was initially included in Spain's squad for their World Cup qualifying double header.
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But he'll now have two weeks to recover before Chelsea's trip to Crystal Palace on October 14.
Conte admitted that he thought about resting Morata after he scored a hat-trick at Stoke and then played against Atletico Madrid days later.
He added: "You have to try to not put your players in difficulty
“I make this decision to risk Morata in this game, because imagine if I decide to put Morata on the bench.”