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      Toni Rudiger hands Chelsea massive boost with German set to don protective mask to face Real Madrid in Champions League

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      TONI RUDIGER will have to wear a protective mask against Real Madrid on Wednesday.The centre-back suffered a facial injury at the end of the 1-1 semi-final first- leg draw at Real Madrid in the Champions League.
      Toni Rudiger will have to wear a protective mask against Real MadridCredit: Rex
      He missed Saturday’s 2-0 win over Fulham but trained with a mask on the morning of the match.
      In 2007, former Blues captain John Terry wore one against Valencia just 72 hours after undergoing a cheek operation.
      But there is bad news as Mateo Kovacic has not recovered from a muscle injury which has kept him out for a month.
      Boss Thomas Tuchel said: “For Toni, he can play with a mask, so it’s just about getting used to it.
      “For Kovacic he felt something. It’s very likely he will not make it.
      “But I’m very happy to arrive with this group in the semi-final. We feel ready for a big fight.”
      Talisman Sergio Ramos could be back after knee and calf injuries.

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      Chelsea boss Tuchel was asked whether he will change his tactics if the Real Madrid skipper plays.
      He added: “Maybe we will play with no striker at all and Ramos has nothing to fight against.
      “I have not made my mind up yet. Let’s wait and see if he’s fit.”
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      Thomas Tuchel calls Chelsea v Brighton the perfect match More

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      West Ham’s Tammy Abraham transfer pursuit will be off if Chelsea demand £45m, admits David Moyes

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      DAVID MOYES admits West Ham’s interest in Tammy Abraham will be blown out of the water if Chelsea demand £45million for the striker.Abraham’s future at Stamford Bridge is in doubt after being overlooked by Thomas Tuchel.
      David Moyes says West Ham’s interest in Tammy Abraham will be blown out of the water if Chelsea demand £45mCredit: Reuters
      Tammy Abraham faces an uncertain future at ChelseaCredit: Getty
      But the Blues are understood to want the hefty fee for the 23-year-old England star, a valuation that is way out of Moyes’ price range — even if he delivers Champions League football.
      The West Ham boss said: “It would rule us out. So if that’s the figure and that’s what’s being said, we are out.
      “We don’t have that to buy a striker. No.”
      Abraham was a regular under Frank Lampard until the Chelsea legend was replaced by German Tuchel in January.
      Since then, the England international has made only six appearances, but did miss seven games with an ankle injury.
      With the likes of Timo Werner, 25 and Kai Havertz, 21, preferred centrally, Abraham is at risk of leaving Stamford Bridge.
      West Ham would be joined by Newcastle and Aston Villa for the forward, who is also fighting for a space in England’s Euros squad this summer.
      Moyes has already had talks with West Ham co-owner David Sullivan over a summer transfer budget — with Abraham’s asking price roughly the total amount he will have to spend.
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      Making Jesse Lingard’s loan from Manchester United permanent is a priority, along with a desperately needed striker.
      Moyes added: “From conversations with the owner, I’ve an idea of what sort of cash will be available.
      “Whether it was finishing tenth, fourth or whatever, it didn’t change at all. There is probably a lack of money in the game.”
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      Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says Tammy Abraham faces a tough task to break back into his side More

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      Chelsea ace Kai Havertz pleads with Thomas Tuchel to unleash him on Real Madrid as Ashley Cole hails ‘fantastic’ striker

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      KAI HAVERTZ pleaded with Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel to let him loose on Real Madrid.The German scored twice to leave Fulham on the brink of relegation and stake his claim to start Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against the Spanish giants.
      Kai Havertz was in scintillating form for Chelsea against FulhamCredit: Getty
      Havertz hit the target in each half and was unlucky not to grab a hat trick in a performance that a delighted Tuchel hailed as ‘perfect’.
      Havertz said: “I scored very early so it gave me a little bit of confidence, it is always good to score and I’m happy to help the team. I hope I can continue like this on Wednesday.
      “I’m always desperate to start games, I play football. But I know we have a lot of quality players in the team and the other players play well as well. I keep going, train hard and give my best.”
      Chelsea emerged with no injuries and a clean sheet from a game which puts them six points clear in the all-important fourth spot.
      Tuchel admits Havertz’s performance gives him a selection headache for next week with Chelsea defending a 1-1 draw from the first leg in Spain.
      Tuchel said: “He took his chance, he showed up and this is what we need. We need guys who are fully committed. If you have a chance to show, show up.
      “If it is five, or maybe even fifteen minutes, be ready and give the manager a headache and that is what he did.
      “Yes, this was the perfect match. That is why the players get full credit from the coach for this. We have no regrets and lots of credit from this game.
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      Ashley Cole hailed Havertz’s display on Saturday as ‘fantastic’Credit: Sky Sports
      “We worked so hard in the last week and now it is important we have a clear mind and nothing to regret for the Wednesday game.
      “We take nothing for granted, keep our heads down, our feet on the ground and try to do the best we can together as a group.”
      Former Chelsea great Ashley Cole added his praise for the German and told Sky Sports: “He was fantastic.
      “He didn’t get too involved in the build-up but his little through balls and deft touches and control around the box, I think he deserved his two goals.”
      Mason Mount set up the opening goal and produced another outstanding display before being subbed with 24 minutes left as a precaution.
      Tuchel said: “He has the full package, mentally-wise, talent-wise and physically. And most importantly character with both feet on the round.
      “It is a pleasure to have him and be at his side and guide and support him.
      “I saw him land hard and thought I wanted to take him off if we had the chance. He was clutching his back a little bit and he didn’t want to take a risk.”

      Fulham are now nine points from safety with only four games to go but boss Scott Parker remains defiant about his team’s chances of staying up.
      He said: “People may laugh and think I am crazy but there is no other option than to go out believing we can win those games. It is what we have to do.
      “There is no other scenario. This performance makes me think we can win games. We just lack in certain areas.”
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      Chelsea v Fulham as it happened More

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      Real Madrid playmaker Eden Hazard wants to play for Fenerbahce before retiring, says former chief of Turkish giants

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      EDEN HAZARD has vowed to play for Turkish giants Fenerbahce before he retires, according to former club chief Hasan Cetinkaya.The Belgium talisman, who moved to Real Madrid from Chelsea in a £150million deal in 2019, has told Cetinkaya he will play for the Turkish Super Lig side one day.
      Eden Hazard has vowed to play for Fenerbahce before his career ends, claims the club’s former chief
      Last year, Cetinkaya revealed: “Eden Hazard is an old friend of mine, I’ve known him since he was 15 or 16 years old and still played for Lille.
      The former Fener supremo spoke to Turkish sports news website Ajansspor: “He had incredible sympathy for Fenerbahce and gave me his word: ‘Hasan, one day I’ll play for Fenerbahce, I just do not know when that will be.”
      Cetinkaya, who is now vice-president of Belgian club Waterloo, revealed that Fenerbahce were interested in Hazard, 30, at the start of his career.
      He revealed that Fenerbahce were interested in Hazard at the start of his career.
      He said: “He was 16 when he played for Lille, they had him, Gervinho and Sow, but we could only attract Sow to us.
      “And then Hazard reached a different dimension, he was one of the greatest talents in Europe, and I wish he had, time will tell, Eden Hazard will one day play for Fenerbahce.”

      Hazard can expect a busy end to his career after also promising Chelsea that he will return once his work at Real Madrid is done.
      And when told by well known Chelsea fan Frank Khalid that the West Londoners miss him, Hazard replied: “When I finish here I’ll come back.”
      The winger has endured a horror stint at the Bernabeu after suffering a spate of frustrating injuries, but returned to face his former side in the Champions League earlier this week.
      Eden Hazard suffers yet ANOTHER injury setback as Real Madrid confirm star faces a month out and could miss El Clasico More

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      Chelsea star Timo Werner equals Eden Hazard record in win over Fulham as striker continues improvement under Tuchel

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      TIMO WERNER became the first Chelsea star in eight years to reach double figures for goals and assists in a debut season.A perfectly-weighted through ball to Kai Havertz helped make it 2-0 against Fulham on Saturday as the Blues strengthened their grip on a top-four place.
      Timo Werner registered his tenth assist of the year against FulhamCredit: Guardian News & Media
      The tally matches Eden Hazard’s feat in his Chelsea debut seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      It meant a tenth assist on the season for Werner, 25, to go with his 11 goals in all competitions.
      Despite attracting criticism for his slow start at Stamford Bridge, he has become the first Chelsea player to reach the double-figure mark for both feats since Eden Hazard in 2012-13.
      And only four Premier League players had achieved the same so far this season; Son Heung-min, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Harry Kane.
      After he scored the winner against West Ham a week ago, the Blues’ patience is paying off with the German.
      Saturday’s game saw him hit both of his shots on target and lay on two key passes, one of which led to a goal.
      Thomas Tuchel will know he can get even more out of his countryman too, with chances such as the poor miss against Real Madrid sure to be tucked away if he continues improving.
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      Sure enough, he won’t match Hazard’s debut year total of 13 goals and 24 assists but this latest landmark left boss Tuchel pleased.
      He said: “Timo was involved in many chances, Mason [Mount] was outstanding and always involved.
      “Kai played double striker with Timo and the two had a good connection and were always dangerous.
      “There is still a lot to improve but another good performance.”
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      Chelsea v Fulham as it happened More

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      Chelsea verdict: Kai Havertz comes of age vs Fulham after understandable early struggles

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      IT was a new league, in a new country, during a pandemic without close friends and family around.A totally unfamiliar situation at a very young age.
      Kai Havertz could be Chelsea’s jewel in the crown at the business end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      On top of that, he got Covid-19 quite bad and took a while to recover.
      If any player in the world had a valid excuse to take some time to show his real form after arriving at a new club this summer, then Kai Havertz is that player. 
      The German international has been slowly announcing himself onto the Premier League scene this season
      But in the 2-0 win against Fulham, he really stood high and let everyone know that he has fully arrived in England, and fully arrived at Chelsea. 
      Playing in the false 9 position once again, Havertz was an absolute menace to the Fulham defence and ended up scoring both of Chelsea’s goals to beat Scott Parker’s side. 
      The way he calmly tucked both of his goals away really showed the confidence he is now playing with, and the flair he should start to show on a regular basis. 
      He didn’t just score two good goals, though, his overall play and contribution all over the park was majestic.
      He was even defending well in Chelsea’s own box winning headers and making some good interceptions, so it wasn’t all about the attacking phase. 
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      Havertz takes the plaudits following his two-goal salvo against FulhamCredit: Getty

      He was excellent in the derby, and Thomas Tuchel will be over the moon that he has arrived on the scene just in time, right at the business end of the season to help Chelsea in their bid to secure a top four place.
      And of course he can help them with their pursuit of the FA Cup and the Champions League. 
      The result will go a massive way in helping Chelsea secure top four for a start, and they were never really under any real pressure from Fulham despite their high intense press. 
      The game was surprisingly open in the first half, and if it wasn’t for three top class Edouard Mendy saves then it could have been a slightly different story.
      However, Chelsea had some big chances of their own that they failed to put away, reiterating what an open game it was in the end.
      But it was Chelsea’s day and their quality really shone through on the night, especially in an attack that was lead by Kai Havertz.
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      Chelsea v Fulham as it happened More

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      Chelsea 2 Fulham 0: Havertz double sees Blues consolidate top-four spot while Cottagers staring relegation in face

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      FROM a bad hair day to a very good Herr day.A mixed week for Chelsea’s sizeable German contingent but boss Thomas Tuchel won’t mind.
      Chelsea were celebrating another win that keeps them on track for a top-four finishCredit: Getty
      Scott Parker is facing up to the prospect of Championship football once again with FulhamCredit: Rex
      After admitting to wearing a baseball cap indoors on Friday because his thinning locks were giving him hell, Saturday came and all that mattered was the pursuit of three points and a top four finish.
      And Tuchel’s fellow countryman Kai Havertz scored a cool double in less than an hour to wrap up victory that puts Chelsea six points clear in fourth with only four games to play.
      ‘Fringe’ player Havertz, who has found it hard to hold down a starting place in Tuchel’s team, scored in each half to make it a comfortable return to Premier League action during a huge week for his club.
      This win is sandwiched between the two legs of the Champions League semi final tie against Real Madrid and top priority for Tuchel was a routine result with no dramas and no injuries.
      On Wednesday Chelsea host the 13-times European champions in command of the tie from a 1-1 away draw in the first leg.
      Tuchel dispensed with his hat because his thatch was behaving itself.
      And so were his players in a key game in the race for Champions League football next season.
      Having looked shaky on their own patch in recent games, this was Chelsea taking their chances when they came along, although Fulham were spirited enough to give them a game as they face their own battle at the bottom end of the Premier League.
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      Kai Havertz doubled his goal tally for the season to fourCredit: AP
      The young German is congratulated by his team-matesCredit: Getty

      Havertz was one of five changes to the line up from the impressive score draw in Madrid on Tuesday.
      And he wasted no time in making his presence felt and sending a message to his boss that he deserves more game time.
      He was helped massively by a moment of magic from Mason Mount – whose precise control from a long ball upfield was a touch of class.
      Mount’s reading of the game meant he weighted a perfect pass to Havertz on the run into the box, as he rounded former Chelsea academy graduate Ola Aina, now playing right back for Fulham.
      Tuchel gave Billy Gilmour a run out and he didn’t disappointCredit: Reuters
      Havertz’s shot was straight at the keeper but possessed the momentum to remain on course and bounce into the net as Alphonse Areola looked back in despair.
      Fulham’s keeper looked a happier chap when he pulled off a superb instinctive save to deny Hakim Ziyech on 39 minutes.
      Brighton’s 2-0 win over Leeds earlier in the afternoon did not help Fulham’s increasingly grim situation as time and games run out on their survival battle.
      Albion’s victory left the visitors to Stamford Bridge nine points adrift of safety behind Newcastle and the outlook is not looking good.
      Timo Werner missed more chances as he failed to bring his shooting bootsCredit: Getty
      Scott Parker asked his side for more – but they were toothless up topCredit: AFP
      It should have been the spark for an avalanche of s**t-or-bust attacks with nothing to lose but Fulham do not play that way under Scott Parker and nor do they need to.
      They work the ball nicely, too nicely perhaps for a team in such dire straits, and they do not score enough.
      Only the already relegated Sheffield United have scored fewer goals than them this season.
      They came close up the road from their home ground on Saturday. Aina’s fearsome shot ricocheted past the goal on the stroke of half time.
      Ademola Lookman threw his hands aloft in frustration when an equally penetrating drive at goal was brilliantly saved by Edouard Mendy with a stunning one-handed stop on the ground.
      Havertz made it 2-0 four minutes into the second half from an interchange with Tmo Werner, one German who should be pulling his hair out at the moment.
      Several times the £47million striker was either too slow, too distracted or not clinical enough to tuck away the chances which came his way.
      Fulham striker Josh Maja barely had a sniffCredit: Guardian News & Media / Free to use by all titles in perpetuity under NMC agreement
      He was at least focussed enough to work the one-two with Havertz that provided the second goal – receiving the ball on the edge of the box and slotting an angled pass straight into the path of Havertz to bury the ball from eights yards out.
      Only a last-ditch tackle from Tosin Adorabioyo stopped Havertz grabbing a hat-trick.
      The second goal knocked the stuffing out of Fulham who are sliding towards the Championship in spite of playing some of the most attractive football in the division.
      Relaxed Tuchel was able to start chopping and changing his players midway through the second half in preparation for Wednesday’s big night against Madrid, with key midfielder Mount withdrawn on 66 minutes to make way for striker Tammy Abraham.
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      Real Madrid’s goal against Chelsea should NOT have counted, says referee expert after Casemiro ‘foul’ on Azpilicueta

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      REAL MADRID were fortunate to snatch an equaliser against Chelsea, according to one ex-referee who spotted a possible foul in the build-up.Karim Benzema expertly slammed the ball home during Tuesday night’s Champions League semi-final first leg.
      Casemiro beat Cesar Azpilicueta to the jump – but has been accused of committing a foulCredit: Rex
      Karim Benzema slammed home the resultant knockdown for the levellerCredit: Getty
      But some onlookers felt the short corner routine that brought about the leveller featured a foul.
      Marcelo’s cross was headed back across goal by Casemiro, who had beaten Cesar Azpilicueta in the air.
      Eder Militao then flicked it on for Benzema to swivel and smash past Edouard Mendy.
      It was Casemiro’s clash with Azpilicueta that was debated, most notably by Spanish former referee Andujar Oliver.
      The 72-year-old, who officiated for 23 years and made his LaLiga debut in 1980, felt the Brazilian had illegally jumped against the Chelsea defender.
      He told Marca: “Casemiro commits a foul on Azpilicueta before Militao heads to Benzema, who scores.”
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      THUNDEROUS FINISH! ⚡️Benzema smashes the ball home on the turn and volley. Such a clinical strike! Against the run of play Real Madrid are level… pic.twitter.com/byfE5d9wt6— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 27, 2021

      Neither referee Danny Makkelie or VAR called the 29-year-old midfielder up, perhaps taking the opinion that he had simply out-jumped Azpilicueta.
      The goal also came against the run of play after a confident start from Chelsea at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium.
      Following a bad Timo Werner miss, Christian Pulisic danced his way through the Madrid defence to score the opener.
      And while the away-goal draw puts the Blues in a good position for next week’s return leg, coach Thomas Tuchel was left wanting more.

      He said: “I think we started the game very, very well and very aggressive with a lot of courage and a lot of quality.
      “We deserved to win the first-half, for me. We had a lot of chances, we had a lot of half chances where we missed precision in the last ball to have more opportunities to score.
      “Unfortunately, they scored from a set-piece. There was nothing else normally to defend for us, we did not allow any chances so it was a bit of a disappointing result at half-time.”
      Tuchel also confirmed his reason for substituting Azpilicueta, 31, shortly after the hour-mark was the full-back appearing ‘very tired’.
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      Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel reflects on Chelsea’s first leg draw with Real Madrid More