Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Cesar Azpilicueta will be part of the Chelsea squad to face Real Madrid tomorrow evening but Romelu Lukaku will not travel.
The skipper is fine to return to the squad following several negative tests for Covid-19 but Belgian striker Lukaku will stay behind for treatment on a sore achilles.
Tuchel also confirmed at his pre-match press conference that Callum Hudson-Odoi remains sidelined and will be joined by Ross Barkley, who misses out through illness.
Lukaku won’t travel with the squad to Madrid
‘With the injury news, Callum Hudson-Odoi is still out and Ben Chilwell is of course out for a long time,’ Tuchel began at his Cobham media briefing.
‘Romelu will not travel due to his pain in the achilles that he has felt recently but Azpi is in the group. He has tested negative several times now and is okay to be part of the squad.
‘Ross Barkley is sick, however, and will not travel with us later. That is the situation right now and everyone else is in the squad.’
The skipper will be part of the squad
The Blues head into the second leg trailing the La Liga side 3-1 from the first meeting at Stamford Bridge last week and while our head coach admits progressing to the semi-final stage will be difficult, Tuchel confirmed that his players will be giving everything to overturn the deficit.
‘Of course we don’t have the biggest chance given the result from the first leg,’ added Tuchel.
Tuchel is ready for Madrid
‘Given the competition, the opponent and the stadium it will be very difficult but we never manage our input by the chances we have for our result.
‘It is unlikely [turning around the tie] but it is worth trying and trying means that we will play to our fullest and to our full limit. This is what it is, it is a big night for us.’
Source : Chelseafc.com
