Chelsea manager Graham Potter says captain Cesar Azpilicueta is “conscious” and “speaking” in hospital after suffering a head injury during Saturday’s home defeat by Southampton.
Azpilicueta lay motionless on the pitch after being struck in the face by Sekou Mara as the Saints substitute attempted an overhead kick.
Mara looked shaken as players from both teams and medical staff rushed to the 33-year-old defender’s aid at Stamford Bridge.
Azpilicueta received oxygen treatment for several minutes before being stretchered off, though he was conscious as he left the field.
“It was a bad moment for us,” Potter said. “He’s conscious in hospital and he’s been speaking to his wife.
“We’re monitoring him and making sure he’s OK. I think he was unconscious at one point, so it was worrying for everyone. It was accidental but still it was a kick in the face. You can see how bad it was.”
James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick in first-half stoppage time condemned the Blues to their fifth defeat of 2023 and leaves them 10 points off the Premier League top four with 15 league games remaining.
Meanwhile, Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi says he “lost time” to prepare his team before Saturday’s defeat by Fulham because of a meeting about refereeing.
De Zerbi was sent off by referee Darren England in the tunnel after the game for complaining about the meeting.
He told BBC Sport: “I told the referee that I lost time in the meeting with his boss this week. Nothing more.”
The Italian said he had complained about the standard of Premier League officials.
“I lost time and lost time in my work and my job because I think the level of refereeing in the Premier League is very bad,” the Seagulls boss told Sky Sports.
“To progress we have to be with a different attitude. The referee today wasn’t in [a] good attitude. But it’s not a problem, I didn’t say any bad words, but I told him my opinion.”
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He said his meeting this week with PGMOL chief Howard Webb would be his last: “I lost time. I lost time in my work to prepare my team. It was the last time I will have a meeting.”
De Zerbi did not raise any specific concerns about refereeing decisions during his side’s defeat and instead focused on the “attitude” of the officials.
“I’m not frustrated but it’s my opinion about the referee,” he added.
“When I speak about referees I speak about in terms of attitude. He was not very clear in his attitude.
“I don’t want to explain more but I wanted to explain my red card.”
