Chelsea will be without striker Samuel Etoo for Tuesdays Champions League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid. Etoo was left in London with what Chelsea described as a minor knee irritation but Eden Hazard, who has not played since suffering a calf injury in the quarter-final win over Paris Saint- Germain, did travel with the squad on Monday. Etos absence paves the way for Fernando Torres to start against the club he joined as an 11-year-old and went on to help secure their promotion to La Liga. Petr Cech is included in a 20-man squad party after missing Sundays shock home defeat to Sunderland in the Premier League through illness but Branislav Ivanovic is suspended, so David Luiz may play at right-back and Ashley Cole could return on the left. Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah are ineligible after playing for other clubs earlier in the competition. Atletico boss Diego Simeone has been boosted by the news that midfielder Arda Turan is fit. The Turkey international had been sidelined with a groin injury suffered during the quarter-final first leg against Barcelona and his return will ease the pressure on playmaker Koke. Striker Diego Costa scored in a 2-0 win over Elche on Friday to take his season tally to 35 in all competitions and will lead the Atletico line.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 07:35:44 +0000
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