Chelsea welcome last season’s Champions League semi-finalists Ajax to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
The Blues were 1-0 winners in Amsterdam a fortnight ago thanks to Michy Batshuayi’s late strike.
Ajax and Chelsea head into matchday 4 as the joint leaders of Group H on six points, two more than Valencia, whilst Lille prop up the group with a single point.
Frank Lampard’s side are coming into the game off the back of a 2-1 win at Watford in the Premier League on Saturday evening, whilst their Dutch opponents had a comfortable 4-2 victory at PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie on Friday night.
The Blues boss has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference today and has given Chelsea TV a team news and injury update.
France international N’Golo Kante missed the weekend’s trip to Vicarage Road because of injury, but has been training with the team this afternoon and included in the Champions League squad.
Kante may not start given the performance of central midfield duo Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic in recent weeks, given that he won’t be fully match fit. Jorginho is also suspended for the weekend’s Premier League game at home to Crystal Palace so is expected to start this one. Lampard confirmed:
“Kante is in the squad so he is fit and it looks nicely like the injury and the few niggles he was getting have cleared up and we have been able get some work into him.
“It was always stop-start before that. He is in the squad and available.
“N’Golo is huge for us. He is one of the best midfielders in the world and has been for a few seasons, so I won’t complain about the nice problem I have with him fit. I want competition, we are playing every three or four days at the moment and I am going to need all of the midfielders and in different positions as well.”
N’Golo Kante has been the only injury concern for the Europa League holders heading into Tuesday’s Champions League tie.
