Twelve months ago when Chelsea squared up with Real Madrid for the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, Mateo Kovacic watched on from home, unable to be involved in any capacity due to a muscle injury that would keep him out of both legs of the tie.
This could have been the perfect opportunity for the Croatian to excel against his former club, proving he was capable of reaching the elite levels of performance that he was unable to for Real Madrid. Despite being present during Los Blancos' incredible trio of Champions League wins between 2016-18, he played no part in any of the finals.
Fortune means that almost a year later, Kovacic finally gets his chance to impress against Real Madrid, this time in a healthier place. And Thomas Tuchel's lavish praise of the midfielder demonstrated how far he has come under his coaching.
