Champions League

EDEN HAZARD is poised for an emotional reunion to Chelsea when he hopes to boot his old mates out of the Champions League.The artful midfielder spent seven years at the club before switching to Real Madrid for £150million in June 2019.
Chelsea have been warned Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard is extra-motivated for their Champions League semi-finalCredit: PA
Hazard has been dogged by injuries at the Spanish giants but is fit again from a calf strain — and he is pumped up to play tonight against Chelsea.
Real defender Raphael Varane, 28, said: “He is quite motivated to play a Champions League semi-final.
“He is a motivated footballer and if you play against your former club, that is an extra motivation in the club and the team we are facing.
“We know the quality they have and he wants to prove his on the pitch  to help the team.”
Belgium star Hazard, 30, is most likely to be on the bench as he is eased back into action — while ex-Blues keeper Thibaut Courtois, 28, starts in goal.
Real boss Zinedine Zidane insisted: “There are no doubts about Hazard’s fitness.
“He played 15-20 minutes the other day and was quite good. The most important thing is he did not feel anything about his problem.
“He is quite well and now he is  happy to have a game, because he is going to contribute to the team a lot.”
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Hazard’s numbers at Chelsea and Real Madrid

Christian Pulisic wears Hazard’s old No 10 shirt at Chelsea  and the American  left-winger has been described as his replacement.
But speaking ahead of the first-leg clash, Pulisic, 22, said: “He was an incredible player at this  club. I definitely looked up to him.
“I am not comparing myself to him in any way or trying to be like him. I’m my own player, doing my best for this club.
“Obviously he was a massive player for this club and  it is an honour to hear comparisons like that —  but I still have a way to go.”
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THOMAS TUCHEL is banking on Chelsea’s youth and ambition as his best shot against Real Madrid.A team playing their first Champions League semi-final in seven years cannot go toe-to-toe with the imperious Spaniards, who have won the competition four times since then.
Thomas Tuchel has belief in his Chelsea squadCredit: Getty
Zinedine Zidane boasts an extraordinary Champions League record
Even in a relatively uninspiring year for Madrid they remain favourites to see off Chelsea, whose gutsy performances have got them to the last four under new boss Tuchel.
Last season the German led Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League final with a squad that boasted every ingredient required for success — but even that was not enough to win the thing.
Chelsea’s mix of upcoming homegrown stars, expensive imports trying to settle in and old stagers is impressive but needs a special something to keep the European adventure alive.
Tuchel said: “It is a good time to play this match and we want to play hungry and be adventurous.
“Maybe there is a lack of experience in semi-finals but we can compensate with hunger and enthusiasm.
“Only Mateo Kovacic is missing, everybody else is available and everybody else will be in the squad.
“We need a top-level team performance when we fight with Real Madrid for a place in the final.
“We don’t have to talk them into being confident. I don’t have to convince them as a coach. We try to but it is so much easier if you have the experience together.
The Blues face a reunion with former favourite Eden HazardCredit: Getty
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“Even if we are not able to play our nicest match we are able to not let the opponents play their best match, which is also a definition of performance — not to let the opponents perform.
“We have a strong bond, I feel it in the squad. Ready to work together, to suffer together and, when it is needed, to respond to the questions and fight if it is necessary to fight. To run or show your skills or escape pressure with passing or be dominant.
“We have shown in every match moments when we can do this.
“The level is so high. Don’t expect crazy things from us but the good thing is we have had tough, tight matches and very important matches in the Premier League and FA Cup.”
And while Tuchel is urging fans not to get carried away ahead of Tuesday night’s first leg in Spain, after having a hugely influential figure with him at PSG in Kylian Mbappe, he knows youth need be no barrier.
Midfielder Mason Mount — born just three weeks later than the French World Cup-winning superstar — embodies youthful energy and desire in one for Chelsea.
Just 22 and the captain-in-waiting, Mount again showed his influence as Chelsea cemented their place in the Premier League’s top four with Saturday’s 1-0 win at West Ham.
Mason Mount, right, is having another outstanding seasonCredit: Getty
Tuchel, 47, has worked with the world’s very best young playerCredit: AP
Tuchel added: “We like the way we deserved this win. It was a crucial match again.
“We have had several matches at the highest level but then we play in the most demanding league in Europe. We have it almost every three days.
“We performed and we showed our skills and mentality in these matches at Tottenham, Liverpool, Atletico, Porto and so on.
“Against West Ham it is the best way to arrive at a Champions League match with a crucial win in your bag. Another experience we have in our luggage.
“Another good one which makes the bond very strong, very close.
We showed against Tottenham, against Liverpool, in the knockouts against Porto and Atletico, that we are capable of consistently producing high-level footballThomas Tuchel
“I strongly believe that sometimes circumstances and playing against a big, experienced team and a huge club in Europe like Real Madrid… maybe the next step is to keep the level and not to over-expect from us to take the next step.
“We showed against Tottenham, against Liverpool, in the knockouts against Porto and Atletico, that we are capable of consistently producing high-level football.”
Tuchel has urged his Blues squad to play on instinct.
He said “Hopefully we don’t overthink it, hopefully we don’t overdo it.
“The challenge is to be ourselves, to be the best version of ourselves for 90 or 94 minutes.”
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Chelsea knocked out Atletico Madrid and Porto to book their spot in the final fourCredit: Getty
The Blues players know there will be no time to rest against the Real Madrid attackCredit: Getty
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says he is ‘not happy’ with the new Champions League format More

THOMAS TUCHEL has urged fans to forget the Super League saga and cheer Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday night.The plot to form a breakaway of Europe’s elite triggered outrage.
Thomas Tuchel has called on fans to put their Super League rage ‘to one side’Credit: Getty
The Blues overcame West Ham at the weekend to boost their top four hopesCredit: Getty
But Blues boss Tuchel, whose side face Real Madrid, said: “We all make mistakes and if  you lead a club and own a club you can make decisions that not everybody understands and not everybody likes.
“This is part of life but it does not change the love for the game.
“So put your anger to this decision and the way it was presented to one side.
“Don’t put it on the team and never doubt the love that all the people at the training-ground level have for this game.
“I can just tell everybody that I love this game so much, like everybody in the dressing room — the boys are so happy out on the pitch, so excited about this semi-final.
“We need all support to enable us to overcome this huge step in these two games.”
Tuchel and his players only found out about the Super League plan when news broke ten days ago.
Real Madrid were one of the main architects.

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But Tuchel, who slammed the new 36-team format for the Champions League which is due in 2024 because of the increase in games, does not want Zinedine Zidane’s team to be blamed either.
He added: “We deserve to be in the semi-final, like Real Madrid deserve to be in the semi-final.
“We don’t deserve it because of political decisions or because of influence or because of size or because of nice shirts.
“We deserve it because we came a long way.  All teams have fought our way through the toughest competition in Europe.
“If problems exist on a sports political level, it has to be solved on this level.” 
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