Chelsea fitness update ahead of UEFA Champions League clash against LOSC Lille. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
According to Football.London, here is a list of key Chelsea players who are currently nursing or recovering from illness or injury issues prior to the UEFA Champions League second leg against LOSC Lille.
It has been a time filled with a lot of uncertainty for the Blues recently. Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the British Government and Chelsea had to face a lot of restrictions as a result. The West Londoners have largely managed to put all the off-field chatter behind them, recording three victories in a row in the Premier League.
With the business end of the season at hand, the matches will come much faster. This means that Thomas Tuchel could be scrambling to keep all of his players fit for important matches. The Stamford Bridge outfit still have a lot to play for this season as they would be looking to add more trophies to their cabinet. Let’s take a look at the players who have been unavailable in recent times and assess whether or not they could be fit for the match against the French club.
Thiago Silva was absent for the matchday squad against Newcastle United. The former PSG centre-back played the full 90 minutes against Norwich City but took a couple of knocks along the way. While the fans may have initially been worried, it is now being believed that the player was simply rested against the Tyneside-based club.
The 37-year-old should be available for the match against Lille and his presence could help anchor the backline. He did play a very important part in holding fort in the first leg against the defending Ligue 1 champions.
Reece James was just starting to return to full match fitness and even played a crucial role by breaking the deadlock in their Premier League fixture against Burnley. The 22-year-old has been an enigmatic presence and provided a great attacking threat down the right flank this season.
It seems highly unlikely that James will feature against the French club as the German manager shed light on the fact that the English international has suffered a re-injury. (h/t Football.London), He also shed light on the current plight that the Blues are facing down the right.
“We are running out a little bit of right wing-backs. Reece James has unfortunately had a re-injury.”
Callum Hudson-Odoi has been a great option, especially with all the injury issues that the club has faced in recent times. His ability on the ball and attacking drive make him a great option in our ranks. The former Borussia Dortmund manager didn’t get into the details but only clarified that the youngster would be unavailable before the Newcastle United game.
Cesar Azpilicueta also did not feature in the fixture against the Toons. He played for 45 minutes mid-week but was substituted due to illness. The veteran defender has been a great backup to James this season and has proven quite capable of handling pressure situations well.
Their absence may have been more of a precaution and we could see the English and Spanish professional available for the crucial Champions League tie on the 17th.
Marcos Alonso recently rested positive for Covid but was able to make the bench against the Toons. He did not feature in the match against Newcastle but managed to make it to the squad. This could be encouraging news as the Spaniard should be available for the Champions League clash against Lille.
Cristian Pulisic was also thought to have contracted a mysterious illness but he did make an appearance against the Tyneside-based club. The USA International bagged the second goal in the first leg against Lille and would be looking to put forth a similar performance should he get the opportunity.
Victory in the Champions League could help ease some of the nerves of the players as well as the staff. It can be very difficult to focus on the game when there is so much uncertainty regarding the future. That being said, the players have shown utmost professionalism through this tough period.
Tuchel would be looking to rally his troops as the Blues will be hoping that they can carry their good run of form in the Premier League into the Champions League in a bid to defend their title amongst the elite in Europe
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