Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Chelsea will be without their £98million striker Romelu Lukaku as they aim to spark an unlikely comeback in the second-leg of their Champions League knockout tie against Real Madrid.
Los Blancos boast a 3-1 advantage from the first leg after their own superstar striker Karim Benzema netted his second-successive hat-trick in European competition following his round of 16 heroics against Paris Saint-Germain the round prior. While the away goals rule no longer exists, Real Madrid will still feel like they have the advantage with a two-goal head start at their own ground.
In the immediate aftermath of the game at Stamford Bridge, Tuchel was asked whether he thought the tie was still alive - to which he responded with an emphatic "no." However, he appears to have slightly changed his tone as the trip to Spain edges close, though any Blues victory will have to be done in Lukaku's absence.
"The injury situation is that Callum Hudson-Odoi is still out, Ben Chilwell of course still out. Romelu will not travel with us due to his pain in the Achilles," Tuchel explained. "Azpi [Cesar Azpilicueta] is in the group he has tested several times negative and Ross Barkley is sick, he will not travel. Everybody else is in the squad."
Pressed for comment on how he fancies his side's chances of overcoming the deficit, Tuchel claimed: "What chance? Not the biggest chance given the first game's results and given the competition and the opponent and the stadium we play. We never manage our input and our effort and our belief by the chances we have for our result. We never did and we will not start tomorrow by giving less because it is very unlikely that we make it."
The Blues manager went on: "It is unlikely but it is worth trying and trying means that we will play to our fullest and to our full limit because this is what we do and we never manage our input and investment by the chances of having a result. This is what it is, it is a big night and a big match and we will try to be in better shape and condition than in the first match."
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Chelsea are staring down the barrel of failing to retain their European crown in feeble fashion after last season's success. With that being said, they go into the game high on confidence after Saturday's showing.
The Blues hit Southampton for six at St. Mary's in the kind of performance that is exactly what Tuchel would have hoped for with the Spanish titans on the horizon later this week. Mason Mount was among the goals with a brace, while Timo Werner also found himself on the scoresheet for just the third time this term.
Similar kind of form is required in front of goal if they are to have any chance of reaching the last four of European football's most elite club competition.
