Chelsea will be sweating over the fitness of defender Kalidou Koulibaly ahead of the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals with Real Madrid after he was withdrawn from the first clash at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night. The Senegal international pulled up after chasing Rodrygo to win the ball in the second half.
Koulibaly continued to play on for a few minutes, but after falling to the ground once again as well as some medical attention, he was withdrawn from the game. Marc Cucurella was brought on in his place to play on the left of a back three for the remainder of the clash.
That didn't last long for the Spaniard though, who soon had to operate at left-wing-back as Ben Chilwell was sent his marching orders for a last man challenge on Rodrygo. It meant the Blues had to see out the game with ten men as the England international is set to miss the second leg.
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It's a huge blow for Frank Lampard on his return to Stamford Bridge next week, with the side's Champions League future hanging in the balance. The west London club sit 11th in the Premier League, with European qualification for next season through the division looking increasingly unlikely.
Winning the competition remains their best hope of playing in it again next year, having done so previously under Roberto Di Matteo 11 years ago. However, it seems an uphill battle as Karim Benzema's opener in the first half made for a difficult task just before both Koulibaly and Chilwell exited the game.
A one-goal deficit would give hope for the second leg, however a strike from the edge of the box from Marco Asensio doubled the lead to make for difficult reading for those of a Chelsea persuasion.
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