Chelsea are reportedly set to be without 11 players in their must win against Middlesbrough in the second-leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday evening.
The Blues had a lackluster performance at Riverside Stadium two weeks earlier. And they are now trailing 1-0 after the first leg. The match is expected to be the biggest of Mauricio Pochettino’s time at Stamford Bridge, as the Argentine is aiming for his first trophy triumph in England.
Regretfully, Chelsea remain without a number of key players. Nine players will actually miss the match due to injuries, including Cesare Casadei and Andrey Santos, who are cup-tied following their respective loan returns from Nottingham Forest and Leicester City.
According to Football London, ahead of the meeting with Michael Carrick’s side, Pochettino addressed the media on Monday. He provided them with the most recent team updates. Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku, who were signed in the summer, are not available for selection. This is because of their continued hesitant integration in the capital.
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“No. No, he’s not available for tomorrow,” Pochettino confirmed on Nkunku. “It’s a shame but he’s in recovery. I hope as soon as possible he can be ready again and help the team.”
Malo Gusto’s absence was also confirmed by Pochettino. Meaning Chelsea will start the match without a natural right-back. It is unknown when Reece James will make a comeback because he is recovering from another hamstring injury.
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Due to a hamstring issue, midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu has been sidelined since Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez is still recovering from a knee issue.
Trevoh Chalobah (thigh) and Marc Cucurella (ankle) have not yet announced their return dates. Central defender, Wesley Fofana sustained an ACL tear during preseason training, and is still sidelined.
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