Chelsea captain Reece James has expressed his frustration with recent speculation regarding a potential injury, particularly ahead of the Club World Cup final. The defender was initially named in the starting XI for Chelsea's Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras but was withdrawn after experiencing tightness during warm-ups. This last-minute change sparked concerns given James's history with injuries.

Manager Enzo Maresca addressed the situation, stating that the club decided not to risk James after he "felt something during the warm up". Maresca characterized the issue as "tightness," which offered some reassurance that the injury wasn't severe. Despite Maresca not directly commenting on James before the semi-final clash against Fluminense, James himself posted a message on Instagram stating, "I'm fit and well, see you on Tuesday," seemingly confirming his availability.

James's absence from the Palmeiras match forced a reshuffle, with Malo Gusto moving to right-back and Andrey Santos stepping into midfield. Santos delivered a "man-of-the-match performance," but fans remained concerned about James's fitness, considering he had only recently returned after a lengthy absence due to previous injuries.

James had been a key player for Chelsea since recovering from a thigh injury earlier in the year. His performances had been instrumental in Chelsea's successful campaign, which saw them secure a Champions League spot and win the UEFA Conference League. In the Club World Cup, prior to the recent setback, James had only missed the match against Espérance Tunis, even scoring a free-kick against Benfica.

The Chelsea squad has faced several injury concerns leading up to the Club World Cup semi-final. Romeo Lavia was also sidelined with a muscle injury. Liam Delap and Levi Colwill are suspended for the semi-final against Fluminense after picking up their second yellow cards of the tournament. Joao Pedro is expected to replace Delap in the striker position.