Real Madrid have been handed a key double injury boost for their Champions League quarter-final second-leg tie against Chelsea.
The 14-time European champions and current holders travel to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night boasting a 2-0 aggregate lead in the last-eight affair after goals from Karim Benzema and substitute Marco Asensio at the Bernabeu earlier this week.
Real could and should have added further to that advantage after missing a hatful of chances during a dominant display on Wednesday, with Frank Lampard’s side still likely needing a miracle on current form but not out of the tie yet despite Ben Chilwell’s sending off in Madrid.
Los Blancos followed up that win over Chelsea with a 2-0 victory at Cadiz that trimmed Barcelona’s lead at the LaLiga summit to 10 points before their fierce rivals travel to Getafe on Sunday.
Like opposite number Lampard, Real boss Carlo Ancelotti made changes to his starting lineup with that second leg in mind, with the likes of in-form Vinicius Jr - who gave Wesley Fofana and Reece James a torrid evening at the Bernabeu - and midfield stalwart Toni Kroos both absent from the matchday squad entirely as Luka Modric, Dani Caravajal and David Alaba were left on the bench.
Vinicius and Kroos not even being named among the substitutes at Cadiz’s Nuevo Mirandilla stadium led to fears over their status for the trip to Chelsea, with Ancelotti subsequently revealing that they were both struggling with minor muscle strains.
However, crucially he expects both players to return to full team training on Sunday and be fit and ready for the second-leg clash in west London.
“They couldn’t play today because they both had small issues,” Ancelotti told reporters of Vinicius and Kroos’ absences on Saturday night.
“They trained separately today but tomorrow they’ll train as normal and be fine for Tuesday.”
