Hakim Ziyech will replace Kai Havertz, while Timo Werner will be in contention to feature when Chelsea welcome Juventus to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea will aim to usurp Juventus from the top spot in Group H of the UEFA Champions League when they play hosts to the Italian giants at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night. And Thomas Tuchel has a new fitness issue to deal with ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Kai Havertz is a major doubt for Chelsea after sustaining a minor hamstring injury this past weekend against Leicester City. The German international and Mateo Kovacic missed the final training session ahead of the game on Tuesday and are likely to miss out against Juventus.
However, there is some positive news, as Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku have taken part in full training and are in contention to feature in some capacity on Tuesday. However, in his pre-match press conference, though, Tuchel suggested that Lukaku is a doubt for the game.
The Chelsea boss said, “I am not sure yet on Romelu. We have one more training, yesterday he was in team training and seemed okay. Let’s see about the reaction. He has right now today an appointment with the doctors and the physios to see about the reaction, to see about the next training.”
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“We have the chance to bring 20 players to the squad, maybe we have the chance that he is in the squad for the last minutes, but that will be the absolute maximum we can get out of the situation right now. Jorgi is absolutely okay. We had to take Kai off because of hamstring problems.”
“He felt a bit of tension in the hamstrings, so we took him off and we have some doubts with him. We need to check and see if he can train without any problems, so this is more or less the question mark. Timo feels good, he was in training yesterday, he’s back in the squad again, and Mateo Kovacic is still out.”
After missing training on Monday, it is likely that Havertz will not start against Juventus. In his stead, Callum Hudson-Odoi could lead the line for Chelsea, as Werner is only expected to feature off the bench to ease his way back into the thick of the action.
In Havertz’s absence, Hakim Ziyech could pip Christian Pulisic to the spot vacated by Hudson-Odoi. Mason Mount will start alongside Ziyech in the attacking midfield unit behind Hudson-Odoi. As for the midfield department, Jorginho should be fit enough to feature, with N’Golo Kante being his partner in the middle of the park.
Out wide, there is no looking past the in-form duo of Reece James and Ben Chilwell. Therefore, the only significant change in defence will come in the back three, where Cesar Azpilicueta should be back. The Chelsea captain will accompany Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger, with Edouard Mendy a certainty in goal.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger; James, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell; Ziyech, Mount; Hudson-Odoi
Start Timo Werner not Hudson Odoi as top striker ,