Maurizio Sarri has admitted that he is worried ahead of tonight’s game with Frankfurt with Chelsea’s defensive problems growing.
The Blues go into tonight’s game with only two recognised first-team centre-backs fit in David Luiz and Andreas Christensen.
Gary Cahill is out with an Achilles problem, and in Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool, Antonio Rudiger tore his meniscus but he continued before having to be taken off at the weekend against Man United.
Rudiger underwent surgery on his knee earlier this week and it is has been revealed that he is set to miss the remainder of the season.
Sarri has had to draft in Cesar Azpilicueta to fill in at centre-back to ease some of their troubles.
The Chelsea captain has experience playing in the middle of the back line and is capable of playing there, but his preferred position is out on the right.
Speaking ahead of the game, as reported by BT Sport, Sarri said:
Gary Cahill has an Achilles tendon injury. We hope to recover him in one week. Rudiger is out for at least three months I think. So we are in trouble with the centre backs.
For the last two trainings we played with Azpilicueta at centre back. So we are in trouble. We’ve played 58 matches so injuries are typical. We were lucky previously but not in the last 10 days.
Azpilicueta has insisted that he is ready to fill in wherever his boss wants him to.
Chelsea have the away leg of the semi-final tonight in Germany. Their focus then switches to the league with the race for the top four on Sunday as they face Watford, before their return leg against Frankfurt the following Thursday.
