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Rafa Benitez confident Chelsea can cope without Ashley Cole
RAFA BENITEZ insists Chelsea can cope without Ashley Cole after he was ruled out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury.
The England left-back was hauled off after 21 minutes against Manchester United on Sunday and joins Gary Cahill on the sidelines at Stamford Bridge
The interim-boss has been criticised by Ray Wilkins, who told talkSPORT that Cole should not have been rested for the Premier League defeat by Southampton days before facing United.
Benitez, whose side host Rubin Kazan in the Europa League tomorrow, said: "I’d say at least two weeks for both Ashley Cole and Gary Cahill. We are without Oriol Romeu and Demba Ba cannot play.
"You train to do little things because you do not have much time and you cannot push too hard.
"We concentrate one game at a time so we pick a team who can win any game and concentrate on this game. They have to be ready for any game."
Ryan Bertrand is set to deputise for Cole for the next four games.
The 23-year-old, who has twice been capped by England, said: "Ashley’s injury means it’s a chance for me to come in and play in the next few games - but it’s important to focus on the next game and make sure we get the right result."