Morata could start for Chelsea against Roma – Conte

Morata could start for Chelsea against Roma – Conte

 

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says striker Alvaro Morata is in contention to start against Roma in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Morata missed the shock 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace after injuring his hamstring against Manchester City before the international break.

The £70.6m striker took part in full training with the rest of the squad on Tuesday and is now available for the Champions League Group C clash with the Italians.

The Chelsea boss said: “Alvaro (Morata) is in contention for tomorrow’s game, he has trained with us.

“For sure when there are injuries of this type to important player it is very difficult for us but there is this situation and we must be very good to overcome it and to do our best.

“For sure it is not simple when I don’t have important players.”

Conte says Morata, and some of the other Chelsea players, struggle to cope with the hectic programme of English football because they are not used to playing so many games and are picking up injuries.

He added: “The problem is we are always playing the same players, and also we have in our team players who are not used to playing 10 games in a row.

“For (Victor) Moses it is difficult to play 10 games in a row, for Morata it is difficult to play regularly with this team, and for Marcos Alonso it is the same.

“When you have a lot of players you need to rotate players and if this is not possible I have to take risks. For example, against Manchester City, Morata was injured after 20 minutes, but, if I don’t put Morata in the starting XI you tell me I am crazy.

“Sometimes the players need to rest.”

Chelsea, who top Group C after two wins, will be without Moses and N’Golo Kante through hamstring injuries, while Danny Drinkwater (calf) will also miss out.

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