Ba flies to Milan to have mask fitted to protect his broken nose ahead of Chelsea match with Wigan on Saturday



Demba Ba is on his way to Milan to have a face mask fitted so he can play for Chelsea on Saturday.

The forward was left with a broken nose after being kicked in the face by former Newcastle team-mate Fabricio Coloccini in the first half of Chelsea's 3-2 defeat last weekend.

Ba was forced to withdraw from Senegal's 1-1 draw with Guinea in Paris last night with the injury.

Protection: Demba Ba posted this Twitter picture as he flew out to Milan to have a protective mask fitted to his broken nose

Painful: Ba's nose was left bloody and broken after Fabricio Coloccini kicked him in the face during Chelsea's 3-2 defeat at Newcastle - Ba's former club - on Saturday

But he could feature for the visit of Wigan in the Barclays Premier League after jetting out to Milan to have a mould fitted for a face mask.

Ba tweeted a picture, saying : ‘Me and the club docteur in the place going to milan to get a mask done... ‘

Earlier on, he posted: ‘Thank you all for the messages. My nose looks better already. I'll look like "demba ba" again very soon lol’

His nose was still reportedly swollen and painful 48 hours after the incident at St James' Park on Saturday, necessitating the protective mask.



Impact: Coloccini's clash with Ba. The striker is expected to return to action for Chelsea against Wigan on Saturday

Ba is unlikely to receive any sympathy from his former boss Alan Pardew, who fired a parting shot after the game on Saturday.

Pardew said the striker had sacrificed playing in front of a big atmosphere by moving to Stamford Bridge.

'I've been at some big clubs where you don't get an atmosphere like that. Big, big clubs.... even at Manchester United,' said Pardew.

'You can go to three quarters of their home games and you don't get an atmosphere like that. It was unbelievable.

'That's what we've got. Demba's going to miss it at Chelsea, trust me.'

Return of the Mask! Other players who have worn face protection

Bolton's Youri Djorkaeff challenges Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo for the ball during a Premier League match in August 2003

Paul Gascoigne in action for Lazio with a face mask in May 1993

Fulham's Facundo Sava had a slightly different reason for wearing a mask - his was part of his goal celebration routine, seen here during a 2003 FA Cup tie with Birmingham

John Terry for Chelsea in a 2007 Champions League tie against Valencia

Sinisa Mihajlovic, the Lazio defender, wears a mask in a Serie A match with Atalanta in 2000

Petr Cech wore a face mask for some time in 2011

Cruz Azul striker Gabriel Pereyra's mask takes some beating



