London [UK] : Head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Cesar Azpilicueta will be part of the Chelsea squad to face Real Madrid in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday evening but Romelu Lukaku will not travel.
The Chelsea 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.
“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 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. (ANI)
