Chelsea duo suffer injuries during Serbia's victory over Albania

Chelsea's early-season woes continued during the international break when defender Branislav Ivanovic and midfielder Nemanja Matic suffered injuries with the Serbian national team.

The pair were removed from the country's 2-0 victory over Albania, with Matic complaining of a muscular problem, while Ivanovic is believed to have suffered a hamstring injury, according to Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard.

Both players are expected to return to London where they will be assessed by Chelsea's medical staff.

Along with Serbia's next qualifier against Portugal, the pair are also facing the possibility of missing Chelsea's Premier League encounter with Aston Villa on Oct. 17.

The two defensive specialists have not been performing at the level displayed during Chelsea's title-winning run last season, and their possible absences could further frustrate manager Jose Mourinho as he attempts to guide the Blues out of its miserable start to the season.