Shanghai Shenhua have confirmed that key centre-back Zhu Chenjie has suffered a fracture of the right maxillary bone and is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks. The injury rules him out for the remainder of the Chinese Super League season.
The 25-year-old defender sustained the injury during a corner in the 78th minute of Shenhua's 3-1 away win over Wuhan Three Towns on 18 October. Despite completing the match, Zhu experienced increasing facial pain afterwards and was taken for a CT scan, which confirmed the fracture.
The club issued a statement wishing him a speedy recovery. Zhu returned to Shanghai by high-speed train on 19 October accompanied by the team doctor. The fracture may not require surgery, but he could need a protective face mask upon his return to training.
His absence is a significant blow to Shenhua's defensive stability at a key stage of the season. The team's form has been inconsistent, with just one win in their last five matches across all competitions. Their next fixture is away to Sichuan Jiuniu on 24 October, a match Zhu will definitely miss.
If his recovery takes the minimum estimated four weeks, he could be available for the AFC Champions League secondary round in late November. A six-week timeline would see him return in early December, after the CSL season concludes. The injury also rules him out of China's international friendlies against Malaysia and Bahrain in November.
With fellow defender Jiang Shenglong only recently back from his own injury, Shenhua's manager faces a reshuffle at the back. The team will rely on their attacking output, led by top scorer Rafael Ratão who has 19 goals this season, to handle the final stretch. Supporters can check the team's upcoming fixtures for the latest schedule.
