Thomas Tuchel reveals his plan for Sergio Ramos ahead of Champions League tie
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has claimed he has plans for Sergio Ramos but cannot decide whether to change his approach for the Real Madrid star. Sergio Ramos is set to return against Chelsea in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final clash.
Thomas Tuchel has nothing but respect for the Spaniard and is yet to decide his approach against Sergio Ramos. He said:
"If we play with no striker at all and Ramos has nothing to fight then that can also be a solution. I have not made my mind up yet. It’s another challenge because he is the leader of their group and he is the guy to give a lot of solutions to any questions that we will hopefully ask them."
The first leg between the two powerhouses ended in a 1-1 draw. The result favors Chelsea, who will now take an away goal to defend at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues dominated Real Madrid in the first leg but failed to capitalize on their chances. Pulisic gave Chelsea the lead early against Los Blancos, but Karim Benzema's heroics secured the equalizer.
An away goal for Chelsea means that Real Madrid will have to score at least one goal at Stamford Bridge to progress to the competition's finals. Zinedine Zidane has never lost a Champions League semifinal round and he will be eager to help his team win the coveted trophy again.
Sergio Ramos' return could provide a boost to Real Madrid
Both teams are set to miss some key figures, but the good news for Real Madrid will be the availability of their captain, Sergio Ramos. The Spaniard missed the first leg in Spain but is back from injury and ready to face Chelsea.
Sergio Ramos' exploits on the big stage are a testament to the boost his presence provides Real Madrid. Although he is a world-class defender, Ramos has scored several match-winning goals in the Champions League knockout stages before.
Thomas Tuchel suggested that he will wait to see his team's fitness levels and Real Madrid's formation before making any drastic changes:
"We will wait and see who is in good shape and good form, what shape we play and where we try to hurt them. I’m not too sure if they will play again with five or go back to four [in defence] so there are many questions but we don’t need the answers now. It’s enough if we have them on Wednesday."
Chelsea host Real Madrid for the second leg of their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday night at Stamford Bridge. With the first leg finishing as a 1-1 draw, both teams will need a decisive result to advance to the next stage.