Chelsea winger Florent Malouda will miss Wednesday's Champions League clash with Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge.
A fourth straight win in the competition would guarantee that the Blues advance, and they will have Didier Drogba available in the competition for the first time this season after he was suspended for their first two games and missed the 2-0 away win over Spartak with a virus.
However, his team-mate Malouda is out of the Group F encounter after he suffered an ankle injury in the 2-1 Premier League win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park at the weekend.
The player should be okay to return in Chelsea's next game against Liverpool on Sunday, with fellow midfield gem Frank Lampard also set for a much-awaited comeback for that outing after missing the last couple of months with a groin problem.
Elsewhere, recently-returned full back Jose Bosingwa is missing through illness, while Yossi Benayoun remains a long-term absentee with an Achilles problem. Brazilian midfielder Ramires is fit though and may play after getting the better of his own ankle issue.
Spartak have won two of their three games so far in the group and remain in a good position, though they head for England without striker Ari. He has a thigh injury and his absence is a blow as he was excellent in the win over MSK Zilina on matchday two.
Sergei Parshivlyuk is also not part of the travelling party, but midfielder and captain Alex is in, as is teenager defender Anton Khodyrev, who made his debut at the weekend.
Chelsea (from): Cech, Turnbull, Hilario, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Alex, Ferreira, Obi, Essien, Ramires, Zhirkov, Drogba, Anelka, Kalou, Kakuta, McEachran, Van Aanholt, Bruma, Sturridge, Borini.