Why James didn’t play vs Leeds United

A report via The Athletic has revealed that Chelsea manager Graham Potter rested Reece James during their  weekend win against Leeds United with the second-leg match against Borussia Dortmund in mind.

Chelsea confirmed that the 23-year-old missed Friday’s training, which eventually led to his absence in Saturday’s win against Leeds United.

The Athletic in its report suggested that there was no serious injury problem involved.

James reportedly had some hamstring tightness, and it was Potter who decided to give the defender extra days to rest before the second-leg match against Dortmund on Tuesday.

While the decision was a risky one, considering the fact that the game against Leeds United depended on Potter’s future at the club, they managed to win.

James is likely to return to action when Chelsea take on German club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday night.