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Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is confident that N’Golo Kante will be fit for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
Kante has missed the majority of the 2022-23 campaign with a hamstring injury, but he returned to feature as a substitute against Aston Villa at the start of the month.
The Frenchman went on to play 69 minutes in Tuesday’s goalless draw with Liverpool, however, he was not involved in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The away meeting with Wolves represented Lampard’s first game back as Chelsea boss since returning to the club on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
After the game, Lampard revealed that Kante was left out as a precautionary measure and should be available for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid.
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“Kante is managing his fitness,” Lampard said. “He is fit but we know after his injury the idea of game, game, game is too much.”
The Chelsea boss went on to add: “N’Golo will be fine as it stands. It is not an issue, we were just managing his game time.”
However, the Blues do have doubts over the fitness of Mason Mount, who was been struggling with an injury issue in recent weeks.
The returned from a spell on the sidelines to be an unused substitute for the games against Aston Villa and Liverpool, but he was unable to make Saturday’s matchday squad due to a knock.
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Lampard said: “Mason had a feeling in his pelvic area, an injury he has been carrying the last few days. He has trained in those days but has struggled a little bit.”
Chelsea will also be unable to call upon defenders Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta due to a knee problem and concussion respectively.
The Blues, who are winless in four competitive matches, will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu for Wednesday’s first-leg encounter.
They will then face Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend before Real Madrid make the trip to Stamford Bridge on the following Tuesday.
Source: sportsmole.co.uk
