Real Madrid News
Chelsea receive huge injury boost as Lampard confirms trio fit to face Real Madrid
In a major boost for Chelsea, caretaker manager Frank Lampard has confirmed that the trio of Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante and Thiago Silva are all fit and ready to face Real Madrid.
Chelsea take on Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. And they have received a massive boost with the availability of three important players for the contest on Wednesday night.
“They’re all fit. The three players you mentioned are good and they’re here,” Lampard said in his pre-match presser (h/t Football.london).
Kante has endured an injury-riddled campaign so far and is yet to play a single game in the Champions League this season. The veteran midfielder only returned to action earlier this month, but was again dropped for the Premier League clash vs Wolves this past weekend.
However, the Frenchman is fully fit and ready for the game against Real Madrid, Lampard has confirmed.
As for Silva, the veteran centre-back had been sidelined since mid-February after picking up a knee injury against Tottenham. The Brazilian only returned to training this past Monday but has been passed fit enough to travel to Madrid for tomorrow’s clash.
Mount, meanwhile, has also been out for a significant time due to an abdominal issue. The England star had returned to training in the past couple of weeks and had been named on the bench for two games.
But, ahead of the match against Wolves last weekend, there was a minor relapse in injury, which cast doubts over his involvement. But, now, he is said to have fully recovered and is fit to face Carlo Ancelotti’s men at the Santiago Bernabeu.
During the presser, Lampard also spoke highly of Real Madrid’s veteran trio of Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, hailing them for their longevity.
“I’ve got huge respect for the team, my biggest respect for the team and the success, it’s for the players with longevity. Benzema, Modric, Kroos. To appreciate what it takes and to be the leaders of the group – huge admiration for them,” he said.
Lampard also spoke about former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger, who joined Real Madrid last summer, saying: “I think Toni Rudiger has done fantastically well. When I last saw him as Everton manager, I wished him well as the Madrid move was going to happen.
“Antonio Rudiger played a lot for me but our story ended and his continued. Good luck to him and good luck to any player that works as hard as Toni to get to Chelsea and Real Madrid.”
Looking forward to the tie, he added: “Are Real Madrid favourites? Yes. There’s no better carrot in football and trying to prove people wrong. That’s a nice challenge. Football is pressure and if you can’t handle it, you’re not a big club or big player.”
After three successive wins to start the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis came as a reality check for Real Madrid, who are still some way off matching the quality and consistency of Barcelona.
In light of the defeat, the Real Madrid coaching staff is analysing the best way to get the most out of the current setup.
More expected from Valverde
According to Defensa Central, one of the key conclusions drawn from the Betis defeat is that Real Madrid need greater involvement from Federico Valverde with the ball.
The Uruguayan has been deployed as the pivot, largely due to the absence of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni, but he is yet to make the step up in quality the team requires from that role.
While his effort and commitment are never in doubt, Mourinho and his staff, led by Sami Khedira, feel Valverde spends too much time positioned behind the opposition’s midfield line.
As a result, he fails to offer passing lanes to his teammates when they are under pressure, forcing them into hurried, aimless clearances rather than playing out cleanly from the back.
That concern has already been communicated to Valverde, who is still adapting to a position he has never truly played, making the challenge all the more difficult for him.
A collective issue to fix
However, the problem is not Valverde’s alone, with the coaching staff identifying a wider issue in the team’s structure.
Khedira has reportedly noted a certain passivity from the attackers in the videos of the match, particularly Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, when it comes to offering themselves as the ball transitions from midfield into attacking areas.
That lack of movement compounds the difficulties for the deeper midfielders.
Mourinho, for his part, remains unfazed by the departure of Rodri to Barcelona, insisting his squad has the tools to cope.
“I’m not missing Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality,” the Portuguese said, before adding that he backs his ability to improve players.
With a Champions League opener against Inter Milan on the horizon, Mourinho and his staff will be keen to iron out these issues quickly.
