Chelsea will have to navigate a tough route if they wish to make their way to the Champions League final and win the competition for a third time. The Blues will have to surpass Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and then one of Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, with all three being the favourites to win the contest.
It's a difficult test for Graham Potter to overcome, but one that he will have to take in his stride if he wants to push his side onward to glory. Chelsea are familiar with overcoming the odds when it comes to cup competitions, having done so to win the Champions League just a couple of seasons ago.
"The feeling is excitement," Potter said when discussing the Real Madrid tie shortly after it was made. "But I'd rather speak about Everton right now as that's the game tomorrow. The other stuff is far away."
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The first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu could be crucial, however the side are at risk of losing as many as seven players for the second leg. That's due to suspensions because of yellow cards, with several key stars just one caution away from missing the key clash at Stamford Bridge.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Reece James, Thiago Silva, Kalidou Koulibaly, Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher, and Mykhailo Mudryk are the seven stars walking a tightrope. The majority are on two yellow cards, leaving themselves one away from suspension, while Fernandez is on four cautions and is also one away from missing out as the threshold for a ban changes with each odd number after three yellows.
The good news for Potter is that if his players manage to make it through without a suspension, then the yellow cards reset for the semi-finals and onwards.
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