Kante and Rudiger to miss Valencia game

Antonio Rudiger and N’Golo Kante will miss Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Valencia along with Emerson Palmieri, Frank Lampard has confirmed.

Kante is still struggling with an ankle problem, while Rudiger has been sidelined by another injury.

The German defender, just back after a knee problem, aggravated a groin injury in his comeback match against Wolves on Saturday.

Rudiger will undergo a scan and Chelsea are hoping he will not be sidelined for long.

Blues boss Lampard said: “Toni is injured. He bothered a small groin problem he’s been carrying for a couple of weeks and he’s out.

“He will have a scan later and see where he’s at. Hopefully it’s not long term.”

Emerson, meanwhile, is still unavailable because of a hamstring strain.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday afternoon, Lampard described Kante, Hudson-Odoi and Reece James as “fit but not match fit.”

Youngsters Hudson-Odoi and James are on the way back from a ruptured Achilles tendon and an ankle injury respectively.

They returned to action in an Under-23 game against Brighton on Friday and might feature in another Premier League 2 match, against Southampton, this weekend.