UCL: Tuchel confirms Azpilicueta will be available to play vs Real Madrid but …

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel in a pre-match statement ahead of his side match against Real Madrid in the UCL has confirmed that Cesar Azpilicueta will be available for the match.

He, however, added that the Blues striker Romelu Lukaku will be unavailable.

Tuchel revealed that skipper is fine to return to the squad following several negative tests for Covid-19 but Lukaku will stay behind for treatment on a sore achilles.

Tuchel also confirmed at his pre-match press conference that Callum Hudson-Odoi remains sidelined and will be joined by Ross Barkley, who misses out through illness.

‘With the injury news, Callum Hudson-Odoi is still out and Ben Chilwell is of course out for a long time,’ Tuchel began at his Cobham media briefing.

‘Romelu will not travel due to his pain in the achilles that he has felt recently but Azpi is in the group. He has tested negative several times now and is okay to be part of the squad.

‘Ross Barkley is sick, however, and will not travel with us later. That is the situation right now and everyone else is in the squad.’