Frank Lampard gears up for his second game in charge in his interim stint as Chelsea manager. This is our Chelsea predicted lineup for the clash with Real Madrid as the temporary coach is sure to tweak his tactics after a defeat in his return.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Real Madrid in Champions League First Leg
How Chelsea Have Lined Up Recently
Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana have carved out spots in the heart of the defence in recent weeks. Alongside them has been some mix of Marc Cucurella, Reece James, and Ben Chilwell with various backlines experimented with.
Read More: Real Madrid vs Chelsea Predictions and Best Odds for First Leg
Enzo Fernandez and Mateo Kovacic have been permanent features in midfield with Joao Felix and Kai Havertz operating up front with a rotating third man.
Chelsea Recent Form and Tactics
The return of Lampard saw the Blues set up in a 4-3-3 against Wolverhampton Wanderers. That proved to be a terrible decision as the side limped to a defeat against a team in 13th in the table. This followed on from a string of impressive performances, albeit not wins, under Bruno Saltor and Graham Potter.
Saltor’s 3-5-2/5-3-2 tactic ended in a draw but tore Liverpool to shreds while the 3-4-3 was creating chances for Potter, albeit they weren’t being put away. To put it simply, Chelsea should revert back to a three or five-man defence for this one.
Chelsea Absences to Consider
Based on a comment during his pre-match press conference, the interim manager will have most of his squad fit to start. This means only long-term absentee Armando Broja is the only player unavailable. Benoit Badiashile will also be left out as he isn’t in the Champions League squad.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup
GK – Kepa Arrizabalaga
LWB – Ben Chilwell
CB – Kalidou Koulibaly
CB – Thiago Silva
CB – Wesley Fofana
RWB – Reece James
CM – Enzo Fernandez
CM – N’Golo Kante
AT – Joao Felix
AT – Raheem Sterling
ST – Kai Havertz
