Thomas Tuchel has shared that Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic has looked brilliant in training ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League meeting with Real Madrid.
Chelsea host Madrid on Wednesday night in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. Afterwards, the teams will lock horns again six days later at the Bernabeu in the second leg of the European tie.
The Premier League side got the better of their Spanish rivals last season when the clubs clashed in the semi-finals of the competition, so there may be an extra edge this time around.
Blues manager Tuchel has been refocusing his group after a shock 4-1 defeat to Brentford on the weekend in the league.
The Chelsea Chronicle has predicted the starting line-up that will play against Madrid, which includes three changes from the Brentford result.
Kovacic, 27, is one player that may come back into the side tomorrow.
The £40million midfielder would surely love to come up against former club Madrid, and he’s definitely someone that brings a lot to the side at Stamford Bridge.
It’s interesting to hear Tuchel speak so highly of the Croatian ahead of tomorrow’s contest. He explained the central midfielder dazzled in Tuesday’s training session.
“He looks like a wonderkid in training in some exercises. For example, today he had an outstanding training session and is a fantastic character,” Tuchel said.
Midfield battle decisive
For certain, the outcome of the midfield battle on Wednesday night will go a long way to deciding the result.
It’ll be a mammoth surprise if Madrid don’t start with the familiar experienced trio of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro.
The Blues could combat that with their own top-class trio of Kovacic, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante. The latter, in particularly, ran rings around Madrid in the 2021 games.
You’d suspect Kovacic is line to play after such glowing words from his manager in today’s press conference.
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