Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is optimistic about Duo’s fitness ahead of Champions League final clash against City
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Thomas Tuchel
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has delivered a positive update on the fitness of key midfielder N’Golo Kante and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy ahead of this weekend’s Champions League final clash with Manchester City.
Chelsea have received a huge boost ahead of the season-defining Champions League clash against Manchester City as the Blues could welcome back the first-choice goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in the goal and midfield engine N’Golo Kante, as they are likely to start training on Wednesday. Kante missed Chelsea’s final game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday after being taken off in the previous game against Leicester City with a hamstring niggle, while Mendy sustained a rib injury after colliding with the post while trying to prevent Traore’s goal at Aston Villa, and was replaced by Kepa Arrizabalaga in the second half.
Tuchel gives a word of assurance on Kante and Mendy’s fitness before the Champions League Final against Manchester City
Thomas Tuchel is hopeful both Edouard Mendy and N’Golo Kante can win their battles to be fit for Chelsea’s Champions League final against Manchester City on Saturday.
Edouard Mendy has been the main man between the sticks for Chelsea this season and was set to start in the nets against Manchester City but his availability for the Champions League final has come under threat after the 29-year-old was withdrawn at half-time due to a rib injury in the loss to Aston Villa over the weekend.
Mendy suffered a rib injury during his side’s 2-1 Premier League defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday after colliding with the frame of the goal as he tried to prevent Villa’s opener, and had to be subbed off eventually in the next half as a precautionary measure. However, Mendy had a scan on Monday and an initial diagnosis, which was positive.
Chelsea head coach Tuchel was relieved however to receive test results confirming Mendy had avoided any serious injury: “For Edou, maybe the update is that we still have hope that he joins training on Wednesday and he joins the group,”
“He’s made a huge improvement in the management of pain.
“So we need a further update on Wednesday but we hope to have him back in training. Edou will play if he is fit, and if he is not fit on Wednesday we will try on Thursday, and on Friday, and be always reasonable and take the responsibility for this decision.”
“At the same time we have trust if he cannot make it, because we have a strong guy on the bench in Kepa who can start. So now the race is on, we are very happy first of all, the images don’t show anything too serious. So every hour counts now, every day counts.“
“And hopefully the team around Edou and he himself can do enough that he will be on the pitch. It would be a big boost for us.” mentioned Tuchel.
Kante sat out Sunday’s defeat to Aston Villa after being substituted during the second half of the victory over Leicester earlier in the week. When asked about Kante, Tuchel said nothing had changed from the previous situation – that he hoped he would return to training on Wednesday.
He then joked: “I think about changing my tactics now and stop asking about N’Golo and just put him on the pitch in Wednesday’s training and don’t ask anymore if there are any problems.
“We will just put him in training and on the pitch when the game starts on Saturday. Maybe I will not speak to the doctors and physios so I hear no more doubts and no more complaints.”
But Tuchel then added, on a more serious note: “It looks good and I hope it stays like that.”
Chelsea fans will no doubt be eager to see Kante back on the pitch for such a big game this weekend, and it’s also likely to be a sight that City fans are dreading. A potential beneficiary if Kante is not fit enough to start on Saturday is Mateo Kovacic, after he played in his place during the defeat to Villa and has been in a good form since Tuchel took over.
Tuchel has masterminded two wins for Chelsea over City this season in the FA Cup semis and Premier League. “We have closed the gap to Man City for two games in a very short period of time,” Tuchel said.
“But I think the wins over City helped us a lot to bond, to grow, and arrive with a lot of self-confidence. Man City is the benchmark, they are the champions here. We are the guys who want to hunt them, to challenge them and this is what we’re going to do.” Tucehl remarked when asked about the Final in hand against Pep Guardiola’s rampant City side.
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Sayantan Dutta
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