BREAKING: Liam Rosenior Reveals Chelsea Will Face Arsenal Without Three Stars [FULL LIST]
Liam Rosenior has confirmed that three players will miss Chelsea’s crucial match against Arsenal in what is another blow for the London club ahead of a testing Premier League encounter.
The Blues travel to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening to face their city rivals, but they will do so without several key figures. Speaking to reporters at Cobham earlier today, February 27, the manager of Chelsea Football Club revealed that Reece James is fit and available for selection, offering a small boost to the squad.
Rosenior also delivered positive updates on Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo, noting that both players are making steady progress in their recovery. However, he confirmed that Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens, and Marc Cucurella will all miss the game.
“Reece is absolutely fine,” said the 41-year-old manager. “Romeo is getting stronger and stronger. We had an oni practice match in the week where he looked really good. Estevao will be out for a little bit longer and Jamie Gittens is progressing in his rehab. Cucu is not available on Sunday. Dario Essugo is back on the training pitch, too.”
Chelsea will be eager to respond after their recent disappointment in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, a result that left supporters frustrated.
Reflecting on that defeat, Rosenior acknowledged the difficulties his side faced. He said, “You’re always disappointed to lose in the semi-final, but I think there were availability issues. For the first leg, I was here for four days. We need to look at it in the right context. With the ball, maybe we could have been more front-footed to try and get the result.”
Meanwhile, in European competition, Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has played down suggestions of revenge after his side were paired with Chelsea in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. The draw sets up a repeat of the Club World Cup final, with the first leg scheduled for Paris on March 11.
It will be the first meeting between the two clubs in the Champions League since the 2015-2016 season, and expectations are high for what promises to be a fascinating contest.
Rosenior is familiar with PSG’s style after previously facing them during his time in charge of RC Strasbourg Alsace, knowledge that Chelsea will hope proves useful in their preparations.
Speaking about the draw, Enrique dismissed any talk of revenge following his team’s defeat in the FIFA Club World Cup final. “Nobody thought we could win the Champions League last season. It is different because the scenario is so different,” he explained.
“We are pleased. It will be interesting to play against one of the best English teams, whom we know well. There is no feeling of revenge for us. This is a different competition.”
He added: “We are the champions at the moment in this competition, so the problem is for all the other teams. They have to play against us, that is what I think. We like being in the draw because it means we have qualified and the key phase of the season is coming up.”
