Chelsea News Roundup: Tuchel confirms team news ahead of Atletico Madrid clash, Blues interested in Juventus star, and more - March 16, 2021
Chelsea have no time to dwell on their goalless draw against Leeds United, as Spain's champions-elect Atletico Madrid visit Stamford Bridge on Wednesday for a Champions League Round of 16 clash.
The Blues have one foot in the quarter-finals after claiming a spectacular 1-0 win over Diego Simeone's team in the first leg away from home, thanks to an acrobatic goal from Olivier Giroud.
Thomas Tuchel will be confident of Chelsea's chances of progress to the final eight, owing to their immaculate defensive record as well as their home advantage. Nevertheless, they'll have to play out of their skins, as they'll play without a few key players against an Atleti side that is oozing determination and quality.
Tuchel and Antonio Rudiger previewed the highly-anticipated clash earlier in the day, speaking on team news and the importance of the game.
On that note, let's have a look at the top Chelsea news stories as on March 16, 2021.
Thomas Tuchel rules Chelsea duo out of Atletico Madrid clash
Chelsea boss Tuchel confirmed that the game against Atletico Madrid would come too soon for Thiago Silva and Tammy Abraham, who are expected to continue their spell on the sidelines.
Abraham is out with an ankle strain, while Thiago Silva, who was nearing a return following a muscle injury, aggravated his injury in training. Tuchel said in this regard:
"We also need to work without Thiago Silva and Tammy Abraham for this game. They are not quite right yet, but with an international break now coming, I don’t think there is too much risk in me saying that we expect them to join us again after the international break."
Meanwhile, Jorginho and Mason Mount are suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Also Read: Chelsea News Roundup: Club youngsters called up for England U21s, summer signing reflects on poor form, and more - March 15th, 2021.
Chelsea interested in Juventus forward Paulo Dybala
Chelsea are set to lock horns with Tottenham Hotspur for the services of Juventus star Paulo Dybala, according to reports.
The forward was a key cog for the Old Lady last season but has been restricted to a mere eight starts due to a string of injuries.
Unless he puts pen to paper for a fresh contract, Juventus are likely to raise funds for Dybala's transfer. However, Chelsea will have to cough up a reported £47.5 million for his services.
Antonio Rudiger reveals he was close to leaving Chelsea
Ahead of Chelsea's game against Atletico Madrid, Antonio Rudiger revealed how close he was to leaving Chelsea in the midst of what has been a roller-coaster season for him.
With Kurt Zouma and Thiago Silva the preferred centre-back duo under Frank Lampard earlier this season, Rudiger was on the fringes of the Chelsea squad more often than he'd have liked.
However, he has emerged as a regular under Thomas Tuchel, helping Chelsea keep clean sheets against some of the big teams.
He said about his potential exit from the club:
"I was close. Some things I saw coming, but not being in the squad, I didn’t see coming. I took it on the chin. There was one team I was considering, that was PSG, and also there was Mourinho, but this didn’t happen, and with Tuchel also the same didn’t happen, so I was a bit upset because I knew with my situation, I would not play that often."
The Chelsea ace further added:
"I had a talk with Lampard, and I was back on the bench. I had a couple of games. and I worked my way back. The last games of his reign. I was on the pitch. Now, things are going well for me, I am very happy about it. I always felt well in the club; they have treated me nice. Nobody told from upstairs, the board, that I should leave, nor did Frank Lampard."
Rudiger will hope to marshall Chelsea to yet another clean sheet when they face-off against Atletico.
Also Read: Chelsea vs Atletico Madrid prediction, preview, team news, and more | UEFA Champions League 2020-21.