Lukaku remains sidelined for second-leg clash with Real

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Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley are unavailable for Chelsea’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid.

Lukaku is not travelling to the Spanish capital because of the Achilles problem which has troubled him recently, while Barkley is out because of illness.

Hudson-Odoi, who also has an Achilles injury, remains sidelined.


But the Blues, 3-1 down from the first leg, will have skipper Cesar Azpilicueta back.

Azpilicueta has had Covid-19 but has since tested negative and been cleared to return.

Boss Thomas Tuchel admits the holders face an uphill task to avoid elimination from the tournament but insists they will do everything they can to pull off a comeback.

“It’s almost impossible – very, very difficult – but it’s still worth trying,” he said,

“We can still over-perform and we need to over-perform. The challenge is incredibly high.

“We will try hard. It is worth trying. Everything is possible, always. So we will try everything and from there we see.

“Realistically, we have to invest a lot and be at our top level.”