The Blues travel to the Spanish capital to take on Atleti in the first leg of their Uefa Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night, and this is how we expect the west London club to line up in the Vicente Calderon ….
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GK: Petr Cech
The experienced Czech Republic international was badly missed between the posts against Sunderland on Saturday when his deputy made a costly error, but the shot stopper is expected to have recovered from his illness in time to face the La Liga leaders.
RB: Cesar Azpilicueta
Expect the Spaniard to revert to his more familiar position of right back on his return home to cover for the suspended Branislav Ivanovic.
CB: John Terry
The Blues skipper is sure to be in for a busy evening at the Vicente Calderon trying to keep the home side’s impressive forward line quiet, especially prolific Brazil-born front man Diego Costa.
CB: Gary Cahill
The England international has enjoyed a fine campaign at the heart of the west Londoners’ back four, although the central defender will need to be at his absolute very best against an in-form Atleti side on Tuesday evening.
LB: Ashley Cole
There has been much conjecture as to whether the experienced Englishman will be recalled to the Blues’ starting lineup for the trip to Madrid, however, with few other feasible options, manager Jose Mourinho really has few other alternatives.
CM: David Luiz
With regular holding midfielder Nemanja Matic cup tied for the match at the Calderon, Mourinho will want to position the Brazilian centre back cum defensive midfielder in a holding role in front of his back four.
CM: John Obi Mikel
And alongside Luiz as a second defensive midfielder will be the Nigeria international, a player who knows how to play this role like it was the back of his hand.
CM: Ramires
And with the visitors hoping to return to Stamford Bridge with a draw, the Special One is also likely to ask his all-energy Brazil international to help out his other two midfielders by putting out fires in front of his back line.
FW: Oscar
The little Brazilian schemer has been off the pace in recent weeks, however, Chelsea will be desperate for the attacker to return to the eyecatching form he displayed for the club in the first half of the campaign.
FW: Willian
In the likely absence of injured playmaker Eden Hazard, even more responsibility will fall on the shoulders of the west London club’s Brazil international to try to create an away goal to take home to England.
ST: Fernando Torres
With veteran Cameroon international Samuel Eto’o out injured, Mourinho looks like turning to the former Atleti goalscoring hero instead.
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