Chelsea winger Florent Malouda will miss Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge.
The in-form Frenchman 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 game after missing the last couple of months with a groin problem.
"Malouda has an ankle problem,'' confirmed Ancelotti at his Champions League press conference.
"He twisted it in the last game and had a scan yesterday (Monday). He will have another one today but we don't think it's a big problem.
"It was a little twist. I hope he will be ready for the game at Liverpool. Lampard and (Yossi) Benayoun will be out, and (Jose) Bosingwa has not felt well and did not train, so he's not available.
"We have a lot of games coming up and I don't want to take a risk. We have important games against Liverpool and Fulham and we want to play them with the players in good condition."
Striker Didier Drogba, though, should make his first Champions League appearance of the season after being suspended for the wins over MSK Zilina and Marseille and then sitting out the win over Spartak in Russia with a virus.