• Chelsea captain boards flight from Heathrow at 8.30am
• Will miss club’s FA Cup tie against Cardiff on Saturday

John Terry boarded a flight to Dubai this morning with the intention of speaking with estranged wife, Toni Poole.

Poole, the mother of Terry’s two children, fled to the UAE soon after reports emerged regarding an affair between the Chelsea captain and Vanessa Perroncel, the ex-partner of the 29-year-old’s former club team-mate Wayne Bridge.

Terry had a serious look on his face as he was escorted to the plane at London’s Heathrow airport shortly after 8.30am, wearing blue jeans and a white hooded top.

The defender, who was sacked as England captain last week, has been given compassionate leave by Chelsea and, as such, will not play in their FA Cup fifth-round tie against Cardiff on Saturday.

“He will come back and prepare for our game against Wolves on the 20th [of this month],” said the Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins after his side’s 2-1 defeat to Everton last night “They just had a little chat, John and Carlo [Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager], and decided that would be the best for all concerned.”

John TerryChelseaguardian.co.uk