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Chelsea team news vs Tottenham: Olivier Giroud, Willian and Pedro could return for Carabao Cup semi-final

The three forwards have been absent of late but could return fro for the semi-final first leg at Wembley

Monday 07 January 2019 14:49 GMT
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Pedro, Olivier Giroud and Willian could return from injury when Chelsea play Tottenham at Wembley in Tuesday night's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

Willian, Pedro (both hamstring) and Giroud (ankle) have been absent of late but could feature in the squad as Maurizio Sarri returns to his first-choice line-up.

"We don’t know about Pedro, Willian and Giroud. They are doing better, had training with the team-mates, I don’t know if they can play tomorrow," said Sarri.

"Loftus is out now, we need to know about the situation that has been troubling him."

Mateo Kovacic was ill for Saturday's FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest, so could return, but Ruben Loftus-Cheek (back) is out and Cesc Fabregas is expected to move to Monaco in the near future.

Sarri said Fabregas suffered cramp against Forest and may not be available to face Spurs, although Eden Hazard and David Luiz were among those to suggest afterwards that the game had been Fabregas' farewell.

"If Cesc will go, of course we need a replacement," Sarri said.

"Now, with the midfielders we are in trouble, I think. Without Cesc we have only five, so we are in trouble. We need a replacement."

Chelsea suffered their first competitive defeat under Sarri when these sides met in the Premier League in November and the Blues boss is set to change his approach this time around.

"They were more determinant than us, we can’t have the same approach. I want to speak before about this, otherwise it is useless to speak about tactics."

Provisional squad: Kepa, Caballero, Rudiger, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Barkley, Hazard, Pedro, Kovacic, Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Zappacosta, Willian, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Morata, Luiz, Emerson Palmieri, Ampadu, Hudson-Odoi.

PA

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