Chelsea have submitted a defence in the Eva Carneiro constructive dismissal case and a preliminary hearing on Jan. 6 will proceed as scheduled, sources have told ESPN FC.
Reports on Friday claimed Chelsea had failed to meet Thursday's deadline to submit a defence to the legal action taken by Carneiro, thereby granting the former club doctor a clear path to claim damages for her demotion by former manager Jose Mourinho earlier this year.
But sources told ESPN FC that Chelsea did in fact submit a defence in time and a preliminary hearing at the London South Employment Tribunal in Croydon will proceed.
The hearing will be presided over by a senior judge and is likely to include the disclosure of emails and text messages from Carneiro, Mourinho and the club on, before and after Chelsea's Premier League clash with Swansea City on Aug. 8, when the club doctor angered Mourinho by entering the pitch alongside head physio Jon Fearn to treat Eden Hazard.
If the two parties are unable to reach an agreement a date will be fixed for a full tribunal hearing -- most likely in June -- and Mourinho, Carneiro and Hazard may be required to appear.
Carneiro's solicitors served notice of her constructive dismissal claim in October and are also taking individual legal action against Mourinho on the grounds of victimisation and discrimination.
The Portuguese was sacked by Chelsea for the second time on Thursday and it is not yet clear whether the club have agreed to indemnify their former manager against any legal costs he may incur.