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Chelsea will look to defy all odds when they take on Real Madrid on Tuesday night in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. The Blues go into the game 2-0 down after the first leg in the Bernabeu last week meaning they will need to beat the European champions by three goals to progress.
The form guide doesn’t make good viewing for Chelsea, with performances getting worse by the week despite the sacking of Graham Potter. Frank Lampard, who has been tasked with managing the first team until the summer, has lost all three of his games in charge so far but would give anything to steer his club to victory on Tuesday night.
Real Madrid aren’t enjoying a particularly great domestic season either and are eleven points adrift of Barcelona in La Liga as things stand. However, the Champions League is where they come alive and it would be one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history if they lost the tie from here.
Chelsea Team News: Who Will Replace Ben Chilwell?
There are a number of selection headaches for Frank Lampard ahead of the game, which comes with the territory of having such a large squad. The biggest decision he will have to make will be in regard to who replaces Ben Chilwell at left-back.
The England fullback got himself sent off in the first leg in Madrid after bringing down Rodrygo when he was through on goal in the 60th minute. The most likely replacement for Chilwell is Marc Cucurella who hasn’t enjoyed the greatest of debut seasons after being signed for £60m from Brighton in the summer.
Things go from bad to worse for Chelsea as Ben Chilwell sees red for this challenge on Rodrygo… 😳#UCL pic.twitter.com/TWBtE9hgmI
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 12, 2023
Aside from Chilwell, there are doubts about the fitness levels of Kai Havertz, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Carney Chukwuemeka who all missed the game against Brighton at the weekend. All three players returned to training on Monday but only Havertz is likely to be in contention to start the game.
Two players who will definitely miss the game through injury are Kalidou Koulibably, who was forced off with a hamstring injury in the first leg, and Armando Broja who is out for the remainder of the season.
Lampard will also need to decide on a formation. The 44-year-old has set up with a back four in both of his league games as caretaker manager but went with a back five at the Bernabeu last week. With Chelsea needing plenty of goals on the night, it is expected that he will start with a back four to ensure more of his attacking players are on the pitch from the first whistle.
Real Madrid Team News: Is Ferland Mendy Back From Injury?
Like their opponents, Real Madrid are also without their first choice left back for the match with Ferland Mendy ruled out with a muscle injury he sustained in the middle of March. Eduardo Camavinga, who is tipped as one of the best young midfielders in world football, has been filling in for Mendy at left back and is expected to continue there for Los Blancos on Tuesday night.
Ancelotti: "Camavinga is fine. He may play at left back tomorrow." pic.twitter.com/k3MgPcE8xb
— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) April 17, 2023
The rest of the Real Madrid team picks itself with Militao and Alaba at centre back, Carvajal at right back and Kroos, Valverde and Modric in midfield. The devastating front three of Rodrygo, Benzema and Vinicius Jr will turn up at the Bridge looking to continue where they left off last week.
Vinicius and Benzema are two of the deadliest forwards in world football and have combined for 47 goals and 22 assists in all competitions this season. Both players tend to save their best football for the Champions League and will be well suited to the counter-attacking style that Ancelotti will deploy in West London on Tuesday night.
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