Frank Lampard has several big decisions to make when selecting the Chelsea starting lineup to face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final. Carlo Ancelotti will welcome the Blues to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening as either side hopes to snatch the upper hand.
Both Chelsea and Real Madrid head into the blockbuster clash followings defeats at the weekend; the west London outfit lost 1-0 to Wolves, while Villarreal waltzed away from the Spanish capital 3-2 victors. The Blues' performance at Molineux was far from impressive, with even Lampard questioning his squad's lack of tenacity – though N'Golo Kante was absent.
Despite fears of an injury, the 32-year-old midfielder was rested as only a precaution having recently returned from a hamstring issue which he picked up in August. With Kante integral to Chelsea's hopes of progressing in the Champions League, Lampard must decide whether or not the Frenchman should return for the first leg.
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The Blues' caretaker manager also faces numerous other selection headaches too! So, with that being said, football.london has taken a look at three ways Chelsea could line up against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening...
Back to basics
A 3-4-3 formation offers stability in defence and attack – and that's exactly what Chelsea need at the moment. The Blues have struggled at both ends of the pitch recently so going back to basics could finally shift the players into gear.
Chelsea opted for a 3-4-3 when they last locked horns with Real Madrid, though that was under the stewardship of Thomas Tuchel. For the most part, the defence picks itself leaving Lampard with the challenge of picking a midfield duo.
On the front foot
Lampard must decide whether or not he would like Chelsea to go toe-to-toe with Real Madrid and match their formation. A 4-3-3 will see the Blues use three midfielders – arguably the club's strongest area on the pitch.
When picking his starting lineup, Lampard must also decide whether or not it's time to throw Edouard Mendy back into the fold. The Senegal international has been nursing an injury for a while now and, with Kepa Arrizabalaga suspect to making a mistake, the Spaniard could be replaced.
Midfield overload
As we know, Real Madrid love to overload the midfield, with Luka Modric, Toni Kross and Federico Valverde all likely to start. While a 4-3-3 would see Chelsea match Ancelotti's side man-for-man, the wing-backs can tuck in and overload the midfield in a 3-5-2.
The only downside of this formation is that the frontline will have to work much harder to retain possession and also concede that they could be isolated at times. This shape could keep the goals out of the net, but everyone will have to be on the same page.
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