Chelsea News Roundup: Tuchel rules midfielder out of Real Madrid clash, Blues star fires warning ahead of UCL game and more
Chelsea comfortably beat fellow top-four contenders West Ham 1-0 in their previous fixture, but they have no time to dwell on the result as a trip to Madrid awaits Thomas Tuchel’s men.
In what is expected to be a riveting contest between two world-class teams, Chelsea are set to travel to the Santiago Bernabeu for the first of two Champions League semi-final legs.
Tuchel and Christian Pulisic addressed the media ahead of the high-voltage encounter slated to commence tomorrow, and most of what was said constitutes today’s major Chelsea news.
Tuchel rules Chelsea’s Kovacic out against Real Madrid
While Chelsea travel to the Spanish capital with a fully-armed squad, Mateo Kovacic remains sidelined with a hamstring issue.
Tuchel, who was skeptical of the midfielder’s chances of playing against his former club, announced:
“It is a very short update, because it is only Mateo Kovacic we are missing. Everyone else is available and everyone else will be in the squad for tomorrow.”
Tuchel had earlier claimed to be hopeful of Kovacic regaining fitness in time for Chelsea’s home game against Fulham.
Werner fires warning ahead of Chelsea’s UCL clash
Ever since he took the bold decision to switch to Chelsea, Timo Werner has drawn criticism from the fans of RB Leipzig as well as his own faithful for various reasons.
He was ineligible to play for the German giants, who finished in the top four. But after ending his goal drought against West Ham, the Chelsea sharpshooter is back with confidence.
Ahead of his return to the last four of Europe’s elite club competition, Werner revealed:
“Last year I dropped out in the quarter finals because of the move. (to Chelsea) I had a lot of criticism for that in Germany because it is not often you are in the quarter finals of the Champions League. But now I have reached it again, one year later, with my new club.”
The Chelsea striker added:
“I can show everybody I can do it not only with one team but with two, two years in a row. It makes me proud – and more hungry to make it this year to the final. And maybe to win.”
Chelsea favourites to land Raphael Varane
According to latest reports, Chelsea are the frontrunners for Raphael Varane’s signature.
The Real Madrid defender’s contract expires in 2022, and many of the club’s stakeholders have been brushing aside talks of a new deal. Still only 28, Varane has won a bunch of silverware with Real Madrid and looks set for a new challenge.
Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are among the other European giants interested in his services besides Chelsea, but it is understood that the Blues are willing to meet his €70 million asking price.
Also read: Chelsea News Roundup: Tuchel names starting XI for West Ham game, pundit urges Blues to recall outcast, and more – 24th April 2021
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