As Graham Potter prepares plans to console another returning Chelsea player after the World Cup, he can take a small boost from the return of Thiago Silva. The 38-year-old played 390 minutes for Brazil at the World Cup but will now have to relatively quickly turn his attentions back to club football.
Chelsea are in domestic action again on December 27, but face Aston Villa on Sunday in a mid-season friendly. Silva, along with other World Cup participants that have crashed out, won't be with their teammates until the end of the warm weather camp, but will have to get over major tournament disappointment.
Silva, as with Kai Havertz and Cesar Azpilicueta, will have to deal with the shock of exiting the competition earlier than expected, but in a boost for Potter, they will have time off to recover. Heading into the quarter-finals Chelsea players had played more minutes than every team other than Manchester City in the Premier League.
