Joe Cole has started on the long road to recovery after
leaving hospital following knee surgery.
The England midfielder underwent reconstructive surgery on
Saturday on the right knee he injured against Southend in the FA
Cup.
The injury rules Cole out for the remainder of the season, but
the surgery at London’s Lister Hospital passed off without a hitch
and he was allowed to return home on Tuesday.
No date has been set for Cole’s return to action, but he may
have one eye on England’s World Cup qualifiers with Kazakhstan and
Andorra in June.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have confirmed Roman Abramovich has begun
legal proceedings for defamation against Times Newspapers
Limited.
A brief statement on the club’s official website read: “Roman
Abramovich has begun proceedings for defamation against Times
Newspapers Limited as a result of a front page article published in
The Sunday Times on 18 January 2009.
”Chelsea Football Club are also a claimant. The proceedings were
started in the High Court yesterday (Monday).”