Preview: Chelsea v Real Madrid | UEFA Champions League – 2nd Leg | 18 April 2023

Chelsea team news:
Chelsea were forced to navigate the final half-hour of the first leg with 10 men after Ben Chilwell was given a straight red card for a last-man foul on Rodrygo, and the left-back will serve his suspension on Tuesday, surely signalling a recall for Marc Cucurella at left-back.

Kalidou Koulibaly is out for a “matter of weeks” with the hamstring problem he picked up at the Bernabeu – joining Armando Broja (knee) on the sidelines – while Kai Havertz (knee), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (back) and Carney Chukwuemeka (knock) will all need assessing over the next 48 hours, but the trio have trained ahead of this game.

Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante were left out of the squad to face Brighton with the second leg in mind, while recalls for Reece James, Joao Felix and Mateo Kovacic should also be in order. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Noni Madueke are all ineligible.

Real Madrid team news
Real Madrid boss Ancelotti was also without a couple of integral cogs for the weekend due to bumps and bruises, with Vinicius Junior and Toni Kroos both missing out with muscular overload alongside calf victim Ferland Mendy.

Mendy’s comeback will not come this week, but Kroos and Vinicius should be good to go after their precautionary absences, so Asensio’s reward for his recent goalscoring exploits should be a demotion to the bench.

In contrast, Fernandez’s goal at the weekend could give Ancelotti food for thought, but as was the case in last week’s victory, the fresh legs of Eduardo Camavinga could be utilised at left-back.

Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Kepa; James, Fofana, Silva, Cucurella; Fernandez, Kante, Kovacic; Mudryk, Havertz, Felix

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga; Modric, Valverde, Kroos; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius Jr