Chelsea boss Graham Potter updates on player availability ahead of Dortmund clash
Speaking to the media, Chelsea boss Graham Potter updated us on the possible availability of Reece James and Christian Pulisic ahead of the Borussia Dortmund game.
Chelsea go into the second leg of the last-16 Champions League tie trailing by one goal to the Bundesliga giants. The good thing is that the return leg is at Stamford Bridge.
James missed the Leeds United game with a tight hamstring, while Pulisic has been out of action since getting injured against Manchester City in early January.
Here’s what Potter said on the chances of them being available for Tuesday night and how far N’Golo Kante has come fitness-wise (h/t Football.London):
“Reece we’ll make a decision on tomorrow. Christian is in the squad, he’s trained and is looking good. It’s too soon for N’Golo; he’s only had two full training sessions. It’s too soon but he’s looking good. So we’re going to continue with that progress.”
It looks like James will have a late fitness test before the management decides whether he is fit enough to play such a big game. On the positive front, Potter must be delighted to have Pulisic back.
On the other hand, Mason Mount, who missed the Leeds game due to a problem in his lower abdomen, did not train at Cobham. It won’t have mattered anyway because he was suspended for this game.
With Chelsea’s position precarious in the league table, their hopes of playing Champions League next season rely on them winning this competition in May.
While that sounds improbable on many fronts, anything can happen in a knockout competition. But, to even dream about that, they have to overturn this one-goal deficit against the in-form team in Europe – Borussia Dortmund.
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Not just that, Chelsea’s struggle for goals is there for everyone to see. Even if they beat Leeds on Saturday, it was by a one-goal margin via a header from a set-piece situation. More needs to be done to trouble the joint leaders of the Bundesliga.
