Skip to main content

Pedro a Doubt for Atletico Madrid Clash as David Luiz and Eden Hazard Fit Enough to Start

Antonio Conte has hinted both Eden Hazard and David Luiz are fit to start for Chelsea in their Champions League showdown against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night. Hazard underwent ankle surgery during the summer transfer window and has made three appearances off the bench in the Premier League so far this season against Leicester City,Arsenal and Stoke City.

Last Wednesday, the Belgium international made his first start of the campaign in the 5-1 thrashing of Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup. Conte now suggests he is ready to start the forward again in what is set to be Chelsea's toughest examination of the Champions League group stage away to Diego Simeone's side.

"Last season he showed in every game his great talent. He is a top player," Conte told a press conference on Tuesday. "This competition is very important for him and the team as it brings you to another level. He has all the possibilities to do this for us.

"He is totally fit and in contention for tomorrow's game. He is in the right moment.

Luiz meanwhile missed the 4-0 win over Stoke as he began a three-match suspension handed down for his red card shown against Arsenal earlier this month. The Brazil international also suffered a wrist injury in that match against the Gunners but Conte has confirmed his centre-half, fresh after sitting out at the weekend, is fit and ready.

"This type of injury won't stop him tomorrow, he is in contention, no problem," Conte said of the former PSG defender.

Thibaut Courtois meanwhile is ready to start against the club who he spent three seasons on loan with. The Belgium international looked to have picked up a minor knock following a collision with Gary Cahill and Peter Crouch in the comfortable win over Stoke but his manager confirmed later that evening there were no major concerns over the goalkeeper. 

"I spoke with our doctor about Thibaut, above all about whether I could make a different substitution and he said Thibaut was okay and you can make another substitution. Now he is okay and ready to play the next game against Atletico Madrid."

Pedro is Chelsea's only injury doubt although Conte is confident he does not have a "serious problem."

Source - IBTimes
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Juventus Manager Allegri Signs Contract Extension Untill 2020

Massimiliano Allegri has signed a new contract with Juventus, keeping him with the Serie A side until 2020, the Turin outfit have confirmed. The 49-year-old will remain at Juventus Stadium for another three seasons, having guided the Old Lady to a third successive domestic double. Allegri helped Juve win the Serie A and Copa Italia titles this season, and guided them to the Champions League final. Since taking over at Juventus Stadium in 2014, he has won the domestic double each season and has a 69 per cent winning rate. The former midfielder had been linked with a move to Arsenal before Arsene Wenger agreed a new two-year deal, but will now remain in Turin until the end of the 2019-20 season. In a statement, Juventus said: "Juventus is pleased to announce that Massimiliano Allegri has signed a contract renewal at the club until 2020. "Today's agreement extends a working relationship that has seen the Bianconeri consolidate their position as Italy's...
Post a Comment
Read more

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Could Make Man United Return this Year, Says Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho is confident Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be available for Manchester United before the end of the year. The Swedish striker - who has been regularly updating his Instagram followers of his rehabilitation from a knee injury - has this week begun doing some very light ball work with the club's coaching staff at Carrington. Ibrahimovic signed a new one-year deal at United on August 24 after the first serious injury of his career cut short a stellar first season at Old Trafford earlier this year. The player's doctor Freddie Fu has warned against rushing his return and United boss Jose Mourinho had previously suggested he will not play for the club in January but has reassessed that prediction. "(Paul) Pogba is not here I don't know when he will be back," he said. "Zlatan is working under our control here as I would expect. He is working so, so hard but he won't be back in the next week or the next couple of weeks. "He nee...
Post a Comment
Read more

Barcelona Summer Signing Ousmane Dembele Suffers Fresh Injury Blow

Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele is set to be on the sidelines for around "three to four weeks" after suffering a fresh hamstring injury during the Catalan's 4-2 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday. The 20-year-old winger moved to the Nou Camp from Borussia Dortmund during the summer transfer window in deal worth £93.4m  plus €40m in add-ons. The Frenchman spent more than three months on the sidelines as a result before returning to action during Barcelona's 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo in La Liga on 4 January.Earlier on September Dembele was indeed forced to undergo a surgery after rupturing the "tendon in his femoral bicep in his left thigh" during a clash with Getafe when he was only making his third appearance for the club. Dembele has since made three more appearances, playing 25 minutes during the win over Real Sociedad after replacing Paulinho in the second half. But the Frenchman will miss the upcoming games after Barcelona revealed that th...
Post a Comment
Read more