Chelsea defeated Lille 2-1 in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie to advance to the quarter-finals with a 4-1 aggregate win, and will now turn their attention to progressing in another cup competition when they face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Saturday.
The Blues will most likely opt for some rotation against their Championship opposition at the Riverside Stadium, although Thomas Tuchel will have four injury concerns to contend with ahead of the long trip up north, including Andreas Christensen who limped off against Lille on Wednesday.
Here is all you need to know about the current state of play at Stamford Bridge and the expected return dates for those currently on the sidelines.
Andreas Christensen
Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen is the latest name to be added to the club’s injury list after being withdrawn on the half hour mark against Lille on Wednesday due to picking up a knock and he could now be a doubt for Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough, although he will continue to be assessed in the meantime.
It is believed that the centre-back has picked up some kind of muscular injury, and Tuchel did not give any update on this situation in his post-match press conference, but he has plenty of options available if Christensen is unfit for this weekend.
However, on Friday, Tuchel said: "Training, but not in full training, so let's see. We still have some checks to do, and it can be a very tight race, maybe too close."
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Reece James
Reece James made a return from a lengthy-injury in the 4-0 win over Burnley at the start of the month, and despite scoring in that game, he picked up another injury and has therefore missed out since.
The right-back is struggling with muscular problems in the opposite leg to his original injury sustained in December, and is now facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final clash with Middlesbrough.
Speaking on Friday, Tuchel said: "We have to do late tests to see if he can even do full training today and be match ready for tomorrow, which is a big doubt."
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Chelsea academy graduate Callum Hudson-Odoi has been recovering from an Achilles injury of late and has been out of action since starting in the 3-2 victory over Luton Town in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup on March 2.
The winger is also facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s game and is expected to face a late fitness test, although he was left out of the squad that travelled to France to face Lille on Wednesday.
Speaking on Tuesday, Tuchel said: "With Reece and Callum, we will try to have them join in training later but this will be a very tight race."
Saul Niguez
Thomas Tuchel confirmed on Friday that midfielder Saul Niguez has testes positive for Covid-19 and will therefore be expected to miss out on Chelsea's FA Cup trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday while he undergoes a period of self-isolation.
The Spaniard was part of the Blues squad for Sunday's victory over Newcastle, but was an unused substitute, before he was left out entirely for the midweek Champions League victory over Lille on Wednesday.
Whilst it was unknown at the time, Tuchel has now confirmed that Saul is suffering with a bout of coronavirus and won't return to action until after the international break.
Ben Chilwell
Left-back Ben Chilwell remains out for the season after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL back in December, with his last appearance coming in the 4-0 victory over Juventus in the Champions League group stage back in December.
The England international was ruled out for the season but has begun his rehabilitation and stepped up his recovery in recent weeks, while he has also made a return to Chelsea’s training base.
Callum Hudson-Odoi recently uploaded a video on social media which showed Chilwell kicking a ball and producing some neat footwork, which could potentially tease an earlier than expected comeback for the 25-year-old, although only time will tell.
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