On the transfer front, Liverpool appear to have cooled their interest in Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount is still yet to sign a new deal. So, with that being said, stay with us at football.london as we bring you all the latest Chelsea transfer gossip, injury news and next head coach updates LIVE from Stamford Bridge.
Pick your team to start vs Real Madrid below
It's over at the Santiago Bernabeu and there's work to do for Chelsea as Real Madrid take a two-goal lead into the second leg.
The Blues will be without Ben Chilwell after his red card, while there will be concerns over Kalidou Koulibaly's injury.
It's half-time at the Santiago Bernabeu as Karim Benzema's close-range finish is the difference between the two teams.
Want to catch the big clash live? You can follow along on our dedicated live blog right here.
Frank Lampard has named his Chelsea side to face Real Madrid tonight in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Real Madrid team has been officially confirmed, which includes former defender Antonio Rudiger featuring on the bench against Chelsea.
The prediction of a 3-0 win from Todd Boehly has had an impact in the betting market as Betfair reveals six people have since put some money on the line for the result in favour of Chelsea.
Betfair: Mystic Todd Boehly?
Chelsea to win 3-0 against Real Madrid: 75/1
Betfair: Real Madrid vs Chelsea match odds
Real Madrid: 4/6
Draw: 29/10
Chelsea: 4/1
Betfair: To Qualify
Real Madrid: 1/2
Chelsea: 3/2
Betfair: Outright Champions League winner
Man City: Evens
Napoli: 4/1
Real Madrid: 6/1
Inter Milan: 15/2
Chelsea: 14/1
AC Milan: 17/1
Bayern Munich: 35/1
Benfica: 40/1
Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has backed his side to beat Real Madrid by a comfortable scoreline at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night ahead of the first of a two-legged Champions League clash between the sides. The Blues will be hopeful of coming away with some hope of progression in the competition after a dismal run of form.
The west London outfit have undergone plenty of changes in the past year since the new ownership arrived, including two managerial changes, with Frank Lampard now back in charge on an interim basis for the rest of the season. With a mid-table finish in the Premier League seeming certain, Europe remains the only beacon of hope for supporters before the conclusion of the campaign in May.
Liverpool are very interested in bringing Chelsea duo Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher to Anfield this summer, a source has told football.london.
As reported late on Tuesday evening, football.london understands the Reds have made Mount their number one priority this summer as Jurgen Klopp looks to revamp his midfield after this season's struggles. Mount is someone the club and Klopp believe will naturally fit into the German's way of playing football and they are confident they can secure a move for the 24-year-old who has just over 12 months remaining on his contract at Chelsea.
Chelsea have been linked with a switch for Barcelona youngster Gavi in the coming months as his contract with the Catalonian club starts to dwindle. However, amid talks with an agent, there appears to be some mix up surrounding whether the discussions were for the Spaniard.
Former Chelsea forward Shaun Wright Phillips is feeling confident ahead of tonight's game against Real Madrid.
Speaking to Betway, he explained: "I think Real Madrid are there to be beaten. They give you chances, although that’s the one thing that Chelsea have struggled with is scoring those chances. But that could change in this game.
I don’t think Vinicius is going to have it all his own way either, as long as Reece James is fit. He’s going to have a very difficult game because Reece is as quick as him, a lot stronger than him, and he’ll take you the other way as well and put in a quality ball to the box.
To me, it’s just a matter of Chelsea taking their chances, because they will get them."
Chelsea interim manager Frank Lampard faces at least three major team selection decisions for the Blues' decisive clash against Real Madrid in the Champions League this evening. For his first game back in temporary charge, Lampard opted to deploy a back four with Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana as the centre-back pairing.
Thiago Silva, who has missed the last six weeks with a knee injury, could come straight back into the starting XI given his importance to the Blues, despite only taking in part one training session. There is also a major debate over whether or not Lampard should deploy a back five in Spain.
One of Chelsea's best defensive performances came in the Champions League last-16 second leg against Borussia Dortmund. In that game, Reece James, Fofana, Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella and Ben Chilwell were deployed as the back three and wing-backs with the Blues winning 2-0.
Lampard now must decide whether it would be worth it to risk Silva. And if he does, what formation will best suit his abilities? James and Chilwell are far more involved as buccaneering wing-backs but their opportunities to get forward may be limited given Madrid's ability to control possession, which could impact Lampard's decision.
Ahead of the game, Silva was one of four Chelsea players to a pre-match graphic that usually hints at a involvement in the team.
Chelsea were handed arguably the most difficult Champions League quarter-final tie possible following their last-16 win against Borussia Dortmund. The Blues were picked out to take on holders Real Madrid and the first leg is now upon is as interim boss Frank Lampard takes his team to Spain to do battle with Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid.
Given the fact Chelsea sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table, and are without a win in April, Madrid are firm favourites to advance. However, Los Blancos, who sit second in La Liga, aren't exactly in scintillating form after losing at the weekend to Villareal meaning the gap to leaders Barcelona moved up to 13 points.
But in knockout competitions, Madrid have reigned supreme, beating their El Clasico rivals 4-1 over two legs to seal a spot in the Copa Del Rey final. In the previous round, Madrid put six past Liverpool over 180 minutes of football which included a dominant 5-2 win at Anfield.
At the same stage of last season's Champions League, Chelsea pushed Madrid to the absolute limit pegging, back a 3-1 first leg deficit to lead the tie before a late equaliser from Rodrygo and eventual extra-time winner from Benzema.
However, this time round at Santiago Bernabeu, Chelsea's league form is damning and that is reason enough for former defender William Gallas to predict that Madrid will enter the last four at the expense of his old club.
Speaking to GentingCasino, he said: "I don’t think Chelsea will qualify from the tie. I don’t think it will be a heavy defeat, but even if they win at Stamford Bridge, going away to Real Madrid will be really hard. So I will say Chelsea could possibly win the at Stamford Bridge but I don’t see Chelsea advancing overall."
Frank Lampard has been told Reece James and Thiago Silva will be key to stopping Real Madrid's vibrant attack in Chelsea's Champions League clash. The Blues head into their quarter-final tie with the holders as obvious underdogs but there is certainly enough quality in their squad to cause Madrid problems on their own patch.
The importance of the European clash was obvious to see as Ben Chilwell and N'Golo Kante were named on the bench against Wolves over the weekend. Chilwell was introduced with 30 minutes to play as the Blues searched for an equaliser, but Kante remained an unused substitute.
The duo will likely be key to Lampard's plans if Chelsea want the tie to still be competitive for the return fixture at Stamford Bridge in seven days. Another pair who will have to be at the top of their games is James and Silva...
Chelsea have been told by former defender Glen Johnson that appointing a previous manager of the Blues is a good idea as Todd Boehly searches for a Graham Potter replacement. Following the turgid 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa, Potter was dismissed from the helm and Stamford Bridge and promptly replaced by Frank Lampard who will take charge of the club until the end of the season.
Julian Nagelsmann's availability following his shock sacking from Bayern Munich placed him as the firm favourite in the days after Potter's exit. However, a face-to-face meeting for ex-Spain manager Luis Enrique in London sparked significant talk that he could be the next Chelsea manager.
The Chelsea hierarchy decided to appoint Lampard on a temporary basis to allow ample time for them to pick the next manager. While the crucial Champions League tie with Real Madrid is dominating the thoughts of those associated with Chelsea, a new manager still needs to be appointed and Glen Johnson has given his latest thoughts on who Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali should bring in.
Steve McManaman and Joe Cole have given their verdict on how Chelsea can advance beyond Real Madrid in the Champions League. The Blues are clear underdogs heading into a major European clash with the reigning champions - who put six past Liverpool in the previous round - priorities extremely clear.
Despite the domination in Europe, Madrid sit second in La Liga with domestic rivals Barcelona holding a 13-point lead at the top. The stuttering league form of Carlo Ancelotti's side continued at the weekend as they were beaten 3-2 by Villareal at Santiago Bernabeu as wholesale changes were made with Chelsea in mind.
With the Champions League as one example, knockout football seems to be where Los Blancos shine as they also recently reached the Copa Del Rey final. After losing the first leg at home to Barcelona, Madrid showed up to the Nou Camp and dispatched of the Spanish league leaders with relative ease winning 4-0.
Chelsea's struggles this season are glaringly clear, whereas Madrid have been able to gloss over their difficulties with regular marquee wins. While many have outlined Madrid as the obvious favourites, two-time Champions League winner with the Spanish giants Steve McManaman has handed Frank Lampard some hope for Chelsea to win, while also telling the interim boss what his absolute priority has to be in the first leg.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has questioned the Italian Football Federation's decision to uphold Romelu Lukaku's ban despite the Chelsea loanee being the victim of racial abuse during Inter Milan's Coppa Italia semi-final clash against Juventus last week. The Belgian forward was subjected to racial abuse from a section of the Juventus support before, during and after he scored a late penalty, and was sent off for a second booking by the referee for his celebration following the incident.
Juventus have been given a partial stadium ban for their next home game in the Italian Cup after some of their supporters directed racist chants at Lukaku on Tuesday, April 4. Lukaku was given a second yellow card for 'provoking' Juve fans by holding his finger to his lips as if to silence the crowd after converting his stoppage-time penalty.
The Belgium international has now been suspended for the return leg in the Coppa Italia semi-final on Wednesday, April 26. Lukaku scored for Inter as the Italian side beat Benfica 2-0 in their Champions League quarter-final first-leg on Tuesday night and repeated the same celebration that he was booked for against Juve.
Chelsea's record signing Enzo Fernandez insists that the Blues must enjoy the occasion of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on Wednesday. While form does slightly go out of the window for two-legged ties, from three Premier League games played in April, Chelsea are yet to win most recently losing this past weekend to Wolves at Molineux.
Prior to that defeat came a goalless draw with Liverpool and a hugely disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa which ultimately resulted in the dismissal of Graham Potter. Bruno Saltor took temporary charge against Liverpool before Frank Lampard made a surprising return to Chelsea as interim manager until the end of the season, just over two years on from his own sacking as head coach of the club.
Wednesday evening's major European clash against Real Madrid seems like the perfect time for Chelsea to end their barren run, but to do that, Fernandez believes his team have to enjoy the spectacle.
Enzo Fernandez has revealed what advice Frank Lampard has given the Chelsea players ahead of the clash against Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti will welcome the Blues to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening for the Champions League quarter-final first-leg.
Chelsea also rested a number of players ahead of the tie; N'Golo Kante was left out as a precaution, while Ben Chilwell, Mykhailo Mudryk and Christian Pulisic resided on the bench. With the Blues in for a difficult evening, Lampard issued the squad some words of wisdom.
"Frank talked with the group a bit and he told us to keep our heads straight," said Fernandez. "Chelsea is a club with a huge history. He told us he won the Champions League in 2012, and he mentioned it was in his worst moment at Chelsea. A great example for us."
Then, when asked for his thoughts on Real Madrid and whether he's afraid of the occasion, the Argentine midfielder replied...
Frank Lampard has delivered a glowing verdict on Chelsea star N'Golo Kante ahead of the Blues' Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. The Frenchman has been plagued by a hamstring injury for almost all of this season, only returning to the matchday squad in the middle of March.
Understandably, given his seven-month absence, Kante has been eased back into first-team action. On March 18, for the Premier League clash against Everton, the 32-year-old was named on the bench before delivering a positive 30-minute cameo against Aston Villa.
Three days on from his official playing return, Kante started against Liverpool before being rested against Wolves that weekend with it later being confirmed by Lampard it was the plan all along.
Ahead of the clash, Lampard was asked about Kante with the interim boss singing his praises and recalling a notable moment in the past involving the duo.
Arsenal and Chelsea are both 'pushing hard' to sign Brazilian talent Vitor Roque this summer. The 18-year-old continues to impress in South America and has been compared to the likes of Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero and former City and Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez.
The Gunners have enjoyed success from signing Brazilian players in the past with Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Jesus all excelling under Mikel Arteta. Sporting director Edu Gaspar will be aware of the upcoming talents from Brazil and Roque looks set to follow in Neymar and Vinicius Junior's footsteps by making a move to Europe this summer.
Frank Lampard has several big decisions to make when selecting the Chelsea starting lineup to face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final. Carlo Ancelotti will welcome the Blues to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening as either side hopes to snatch the upper hand.
Both Chelsea and Real Madrid head into the blockbuster clash followings defeats at the weekend; the west London outfit lost 1-0 to Wolves, while Villarreal waltzed away from the Spanish capital 3-2 victors. The Blues' performance at Molineux was far from impressive, with even Lampard questioning his squad's lack of tenacity – though N'Golo Kante was absent.
Despite fears of an injury, the 32-year-old midfielder was rested as only a precaution having recently returned from a hamstring issue which he picked up in August. With Kante integral to Chelsea's hopes of progressing in the Champions League, Lampard must decide whether or not the Frenchman should return for the first leg.
The Blues' caretaker manager also faces numerous other selection headaches too! So, with that being said, football.london has taken a look at three ways Chelsea could line up against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening...
When you look across the Real Madrid team, it's absolutely full of stars. It's the way the Spanish club have been for as long as you can remember.
So when Chelsea take on Los Blancos in the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday evening, everyone at the west London club are aware of the immensely difficult task that awaits them. Madrid's midfield in particular is full of world-class talent.
However, perhaps the most important cog in that midfield machine is Eduardo Camavinga. Sitting in a deep-lying role against Liverpool, the Frenchman controlled the tempo for both last-16 legs. Chelsea simply cannot allow that to happen, meaning N'Golo Kante will need to be at his very best.
According to AS, Chelsea are actively pursuing a deal for Gavi after a meeting was held in Madrid between club officials and the player's agent. Technical director Christopher Vivell, who along with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart handles transfer dealings after Boehly stepped aside, reportedly represented Chelsea in the discussions.
The report claims that Vivell made promises of an important role to play in the club's plans for the future, dubbed the '2030 vision' by Neil Bath. The outcome of the meeting was said to be 'very satisfactory', giving the west Londoners plenty of encouragement over their pursuit of the Spain international.
According to Brazilian outlet UOL, Marcelo Gallardo is 'close' to putting pen to paper on a deal which will see him take the helm at Chelsea in the summer. The report states that the former River Plate boss has been rejecting offers from various clubs in South America recently as he eyes a move to the Premier League.
Gallardo was in charge at the Argentine outfit for eight seasons, winning plenty of silverware including two Copa Libertadores – the South American equivalent of the Champions League. The 47-year-old, who left River Plate in October last year, worked closely with Enzo Fernandez at the Estadio Monumental, helping the Chelsea star take his first steps in senior football.
According to The Times, Liverpool are beginning to consider alternatives to Jude Bellingham due to his enormous price tag. The report states that Jurgen Klopp is an admirer of the Borussia Dortmund star but, as it stands, a move now looks unlikely.
It's said that the Reds want to sign at least two midfielders this summer as they look to bolster their options in the engine room. Liverpool have been linked to various targets lately such as Chelsea duo Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher.
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