Romelu Lukaku is now a doubt for Chelsea's Champions League second leg against Real Madrid, with Thomas Tuchel comfirming that the striker has picked up a fresh injury, while club captain Cesar Azpilicueta is set to miss out due to a Covid-19 diagnosis.
Chelsea won the Champions League last season, beating Real Madrid in the semi-finals before conquering Manchester City in an all-English showpiece, but are in danger of exiting at the quarter-final stage this time around.
Madrid exacted revenge in the first leg of their last eight tie on Wednesday, winning 3-1 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a Karim Benzema hat-trick, and Chelsea could be without two key players when they try to turn the contest around at Santiago Bernabeu.
What's been said?
Tuchel revealed that Lukaku is dealing with an injury ahead of Chelsea's trip to Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Belgian striker may be forced to sit out the Blues' next meeting with Madrid on Tuesday along with Azpilicueta, who has tested positive for coronavirus.
"He's injured [Lukaku]. Azpilicueta unfortunately has a positive Covid test," Tuchel told Premier League Productions.
Lukaku's miserable season continues
Chelsea spent £98 million ($128m) to bring Lukaku back to the club from Inter last summer, but he has since been unable to live up to that club record price tag.
The 28-year-old has only managed to score 12 goals in 36 appearances this season, including just five in the Premier League, and has been in and out of Tuchel's starting XI.
Lukaku has also been held back by a string of fitness issues, missing a total of nine games after his latest knock, and now looks set to sit out arguably Chelsea's biggest fuxture of the campaign.
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