When will Joao Felix return for Chelsea after Fulham red card and how long is he suspended for? | OneFootball

Joao Felix made a Chelsea debut that will not be forgotten any time soon as he saw red against Fulham.

The 23-year-old was impressive, creating several chances and testing Bernd Leno with strikes at goal during his maiden appearance for Chelsea.

However, he did not complete 90 minutes following a lunge on Fulham defender Tete, with his studs up, which saw him dismissed.

The game ended in defeat for Chelsea as former Blue Willian netted the first goal before Kalidou Koulibaly’s equaliser.

Felix’s sending off left his side on the back foot and former Spurs striker Carlos Vinicius scored an impressive header to give the Cottagers all three points in the west London derby.

And with Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic and Armando Broja all sidelined for Chelsea, Blues fans are all asking the same question – when will Felix return to action?

Here at Absolute Chelsea, we have all the answers on how long Felix will be out for, and who he will make his return against.

How long is Joao Felix suspended for?

The length of suspension varies, according to the Premier League rules, depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Two yellow cards would result in a single match ban, as would an accumulation of yellows – as we saw with Aleksandr Mitrovic, who missed the clash against Chelsea after picking up five cards this season.

In Felix’s case, receiving a red card would result in a two or three match ban.

The rules state that dissent leading to a red card will earn a two-match ban, while violent conduct can be punished with a suspension for three games.

In the case of Felix, his challenge is seen as the former and result in a three match ban.

When Graham Potter was asked about the length of the ban, he said: “It makes it even more frustrating that we’re going to lose him for three games (through suspension).”

Therefore, it is likely that Felix will miss three games.

Chelsea have the option to appeal against the ban, but are unlikely to do so due to the nature of the challenge, and Potter himself admitting that the dismissal was a correct decision.

When will Joao Felix return for Chelsea?

With a three match suspension to be served, Felix will be absent for Chelsea for the rest of January.

While the Blues are out of all domestic cup competitions, Felix will miss three Premier League matches.

These include today’s London derby against Crystal Palace, Chelsea’s trip to Anfield on Saturday 21st January, and Chelsea’s home clash against Fulham.

The Portugal star could return to action on Saturday 11th February, when the Blues face West Ham at the London Stadium.

This means that Felix could have to wait until the following week to make his Stamford Bridge debut against Southampton.