Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed the extent of Trevor Chalobah's injury after the Carabao Cup final defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
Liverpool and Chelsea played a thrilling 0-0 draw in both normal and extra time, with the tie being decided on penalties.
Both teams scored all their penalties up until the west London side's substitute goalkeeper Kepa blazed his spot-kick over, handing the Reds a record ninth League Cup.
Chalobah scored his penalty but earlier on in the match came off worse in an incident with Reds midfielder Naby Keita.
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No red card was issued after the reigning UEFA Champions League holders were given a free-kick and VAR did not intervene to issue a card to the Guinean.
And Tuchel has now said that the player required 'surgery' in the dressing room for what looked like a 'horrible' injury.
"I could not believe what I saw after the match. There was surgery literally in our dressing room and I am not joking," Tuchel said before the west London side's FA Cup fifth round tie with Luton on Wednesday.
"They were stitching him up. I could not believe it.
"After the match, after the press conference when I left they were doing the stitches, I just heard him scream. It looked horrible.
"I went in and saw it, it looked horrible and I could not believe he played one more minute with this kind of injury but he played the rest of the match and scored a penalty.
"'This is really big. I would say he has shown some balls but that would be the wrong line but he was really brave to do this. Full credit to him."
