Both Chelsea and AS Roma welcome back key players into their respective squads, as they prepare to battle it out for top spot in Group C at Stadio Olimpico.
AS Roma and Chelsea meet each other at Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday, with top spot on the line and the standings in Group C tantalisingly set up. Ahead of the game, Antonio Conte had some good news to report, as his injury woes seem to be easing up.
In his pre-match press conference, the Italian revealed that N’Golo Kante was fit and in training, but that he preferred to not take too many risks with the Frenchman. “I hope so. He could be ready. I know very well the importance of this player. I want to be sure he is ready.”
Kante could likely feature for the first time since picking up the hamstring injury while on international duty with France earlier this month. The injury has kept him out of six games for the Blues over the past three weeks. “I hope to have him in this game,” Conte said. “But I prefer to not take this type of risk. If he is ready, he plays.”
Victor Moses (hamstring) remains the only absentee for the Blues after Danny Drinkwater made a complete recovery from a calf injury. The Englishman may be in line to make his first ever Champions League experience for Chelsea, after having made that huge summer move from Leicester City in September.
As for their hosts, Eusebio Di Francesco will be without Rick Karsdorp, Patrik Schick and Emerson. As per the official squad list, Kostas Manolas and Gregoire Defrel have been included in the squad after being deemed fit. However, their inclusion in the starting XI seems unlikely.
Speaking about Patrik Schick’s current situation, Francesco said: “He has been reporting some pain when he kicks the ball, so he had new tests which did not show any major problem. But we are evaluating that and studying it carefully, he is working on a personal program to resolve the issue.”
