Thomas Tuchel will hope to have picked up no fresh injury concerns during the Champions League tie with Real Madrid ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Crystal Palace
Chelsea will be aiming to react to their heartbreaking Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid this weekend as they once again turn their attentions to the FA Cup. The Blues are set to take on Premier League rivals Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
It goes without saying that the Blues will of course be keen to progress past the Eagles having been left empty-handed in the FA Cup in each of the last two seasons. To do that, they will almost certainly have to have their best players fit and firing as they come up against a Palace side that has caught the eye under Patrick Vieira so far this season.
With that being said, football.london has taken a look at the latest injury updates from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea look to tee-up a final clash with either Manchester City or Liverpool.
Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku picked up a slight knock in his achilles when he came from the bench to face Real Madrid in the first-leg of the quarter-final tie. He did not travel to Madrid as a result and an update on his condition is expected later this week.
What Tuchel has said: “Romelu will not travel with us due to his pain in the Achilles.”
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Hudson-Odoi managed just one appearance in February as he struggled with a troublesome Achilles issue. No risks have been taken with the academy graduate, who is still out and his return is still unknown.
What Tuchel has said: “The injury situation is that Callum Hudson-Odoi is still out.”
Expected return: N/A
Ross Barkley
Ross Barkley has played a role on the fringes of the Chelsea squad this season, making the occasional appearance. He was not involved in the squad for the trip to Madrid and there is hope that he will recover in time for this weekend’s Wembley showdown.
What Tuchel has said: “Ross Barkley is sick, he will not travel.”
Expected return: Crystal Palace (N) – April 17
Ben Chilwell
Chilwell suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his knee that is set to keep the wing-back out for the rest of the season. The 25-year-old performed well in the early stages of the season but won’t make a return until the summer.
Expected return: Summer 2022
