Chelsea will clash heads with Real Madrid at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Tuesday night as the two sides look to get the better of each other in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final tie. The Blues managed to grind out a 1-0 win over West Ham United in the London derby last weekend, which will give them a lot of confidence ahead of this highly anticipated clash in Europe. In contrast, Los Blancos only managed to grind out a 0-0 draw versus Real Betis in their last outing, so they will be eager to put in a more productive display in midweek.
Mateo Kovacic is unlikely to recover in time from his thigh injury, so he won’t be available for selection this Tuesday. Otherwise, Tuchel should have a fully fit squad to choose from ahead of this game. We can expect the West London outfit to set up in a 3-4-2-1 formation with Tuchel expected to make some tweaks to his first-team for this game.
Here are three things the Chelsea head coach should do to ensure a victory for his men over the Madrid giants.
Play Reece James Down The Right-Wing
Reece James can be a solid presence at both ends of the field. Hence, Tuchel should think about playing him as his right-sided wing-back ahead of Cesar Azpilicueta and Callum Hudson-Odoi. James has proven this season that he can do a good job for Chelsea in some of their high-profile matches. Thus, he will be keen on giving a good account of himself if he gets a start in midweek.
Play Ziyech Ahead Of Pulisic In The Final Third
Hakim Ziyech has sometimes been inconsistent under Tuchel’s stewardship, but he has scored two goals for the Blues in the Champions League this season. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense for the German manager to give the Morocco international the freedom to express himself as an attacking midfielder in his first team at the expense of Christian Pulisic, who failed to put in a fruitful display in his last start for the West London club.
Use The Services Of Hudson-Odoi And Giroud Off The Bench
Tuchel should consider using the pacey Callum Hudson-Odoi and the experienced Olivier Giroud as his second-half substitutes if Chelsea are in need of a goal by then. Both of them have the ability to make a real difference in the attacking end of the pitch, so it is only logical for Tuchel to give one or both of them a chance to shine in the latter stages if required.
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