
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).”