Terry and Cole back in training to boost Chelsea

Terry returned to first-team training yesterday (GETTY IMAGES)

Chelsea duo John Terry and Ashley Cole both returned to first-team training yesterday and could yet be fit for the Premier League leaders' match against Wolverhampton on Saturday.

Terry is recovering from the sore Achilles that kept him out of England's 1-0 friendly defeat to Brazil in Doha on Saturday. Cole was not included in the England squad for the Brazil match to allow him time to rest his depressed fracture of the tibia.

Both players joined in training at Chelsea's Cobham training ground yesterday but participated only in non-contact sessions.

The news of Cole's return in particular is welcome news for Carlo Ancelotti, as there had been fears the England left-back would be out for six weeks. Cole, 28, initially injured his leg four weeks ago when Chelsea played Atletico Madrid at home in the Champions League.

He missed three games and then aggravated the injury in his comeback game in the away tie with Atletico two weeks ago. He needed a painkilling injection to play in the 1-0 victory over Manchester United on 8 November but worsened the injury further, forcing him out of the England squad. Chelsea are also hopeful Didier Drogba (rib), Michael Ballack (knee) and Deco (groin) will be fit for the weekend.

The striker Salomon Kalou has been forced to apologise to Ivory Coast team-mate Abdoulaye Méïté for kicking him in a training session. West Bromwich Albion defender Méïté fouled Kalou and the Chelsea striker retaliated, prompting the coach Vahid Halilhodzic to leave them both out of last weekend's 3-0 win over Guinea.

Kalou said: "Méïté is a big brother, I have apologised and he has accepted it. We were punished and I have accepted that and that's how we move on. You recognise your mistake and you learn. We've talked and it's over."