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Football London
Football London
Sport
Oliver Harbord

Frank Lampard to make brave choice - Predicted Chelsea team to face Valencia

Chelsea are in Champions League action tonight with a chance to reach the last 16 when they face Valencia.

Victory for the Blues will mean that they will qualify for the knockout stages of the competition, however defeat would be disastrous for Frank Lampard's team.

Ross Barkley, Marcos Alonso, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Antonio Rudiger are not in the squad in Spain.

"We have got Callum Hudson-Odoi not available," Lampard said. "He is getting better through the week so hopefully he will be better for the weekend.

"Rudiger: thankfully, we are talking about match fitness rather than the injury itself. He is training hard and it will be more days and weeks than months as it has been. That will be the two that are out."

With Alonso not in the squad, it could mean that Emerson Palmieri starts at left-back. However, Lampard could make the brave decision to move Cesar Azpilicueta over and put Reece James as right-back.

The other decision is whether or not Christian Pulisic starts on the left wing, with Mason Mount potentially coming in to replace the American.

Lampard trusts Willian to help guid the team through, while it's likely he'll stick with the midfield three of N'Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic.

Predicted Chelsea team: Kepa; James, Tomori, Zouma, Azpilicueta; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Willian, Abraham, Mount

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