Chelsea take on Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday and the Blues will be missing some key players during their midweek fixture.
On Tuesday, Chelsea released images of Antonio Rudiger taking part in training which was a bit hint that the defender has not only returned back to full fitness but there were also rumours that the player could feature in the matchday squad vs Valencia.
Callum Hudson-Odoi missed the match vs Manchester City and there have been doubts over his participation in Spain on Wednesday.
And now speaking to the press, Frank Lampard has made it clear that Hudson-Odoi, as well as Antonio Rudiger, will not be part of the matchday squad today.
‘Callum Hudson-Odoi is not available. He has been getting better through the week so hopefully, he will be for the weekend,’ the manager told reporters.
‘Toni Rudiger thankfully now we’re talking match fitness as opposed to the injury itself. He is training hard and it will be more days and weeks as opposed to months as it has been.’
Another player who will miss the Valencia clash is midfielder Ross Barkley. But the manager has made it clear that this absence was not only because of his topless photos at a Dubai nightclub but also because he is yet to fully recover from his injury.
‘There are two separate issues. One is the headlines this week. Ross knows how I felt about the first headline. I backed him then, and I still back him now,’ Lampard added.
‘He showed a moment of a lack of professionalism as far as I’m concerned. I don’t want to be a pure dictator and come down hard, because I understand all my players are humans and have lives. It’s not a terrible thing he’s done.
‘All Ross needs to do now, he’s had an injury which he is still kind of carrying, he has to work his way back in.
‘He has to train well and I certainly don’t hold anything against my players. I like Ross, and I think it is something where he needs to show all his reactions on the pitch.’
