Just minutes ago, the Brazil national team officially announced their squad for this summer's FIFA World Cup, and with it, included no Chelsea players
After this week's games against Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland, the attention of Chelsea fans and the wider footballing world will turn to this summer's World Cup in North America.
Earlier on today, it was confirmed that former Blues Olivier Giroud, currently of LOSC Lille, and Cesar Azpilicueta, currently of Sevillla, will be part of the BBC's punditry team for the tournament for those of you residing in the UK.
There will also be former players in action on the pitch, with the likes of Mateo Kovacic and N'golo Kante already officially called up to their respective nations.
Meanwhile, plenty of current Chelsea players will be taking to the field. Alongside Kante, Malo Gusto will be part of the France squad, and there will be plenty more calls up to come.
However, there are a couple of players who won't join them. Indeed, as tonight it has been confirmed that Joao Pedro and Andrey Santos are not in the Brazil squad. Admittedly, it would have been surprising if Santos was not there, but Pedro? An aboslutely huge shock.
As we know, Estevao will miss the tournament with a hamstring issue. If he had been fit, there was a fair chance he would have been in the XI too, having been a regular starter in the autumn of last year, and scoring several goals in the process. Such a shame, but his time will come, there is no doubt about that.
So, that is normal. But no Pedro, is an absolutely huge shock. Only last week, he was saying about how Cole Palmer was telling him he wanted a quarter final match up between England and Brazil, in a rematch of 2002. But Pedro will not be involved now.
Perhaps Palmer will not either. On Friday, another former Chelsea boss in Thomas Tuchel will announce his final 26 man squad for the tournament. With fellow attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White in the form of his life, perhaps the Chelsea man will not make it either.
Selfishly, from a Chelsea point of view, it is good that Pedro gets a full summer off to physically recharge. For him though, wow, that must be absolutely gutting to take. He will feel like he had more than done enough to get his place on that plane to North America this summer.
Stay tuned here at Roundtable for all the updates on Chelsea players going and not going to the World Cup.
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