Chelsea Without Eto’o for Crucial Champions League Clash Against Atletico Madrid
Chelsea will be without striker Samuel Eto’o for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening, after the Cameroonian sustained a knee injury during the weekend’s Premier League defeat to Sunderland.
Eto’o, who scored in that match before being forced off, has been a key figure in Chelsea’s European campaign. He also missed the first leg of the quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain due to fitness concerns, though he returned to score in the second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Manager José Mourinho, already vocal about his side’s attacking shortcomings, will not be pleased with the timing of Eto’o’s absence, especially with Chelsea’s forward options limited in such a critical fixture.
Adding to Mourinho’s concerns is the uncertain availability of Belgian star Eden Hazard, who remains doubtful with a calf injury sustained in the second leg against PSG. Hazard’s creativity and pace have been instrumental for Chelsea throughout the season, and his potential absence would be another significant blow to the Blues’ attacking threat.
The semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid kicks off tonight at 18:45 GMT, with Chelsea hoping to secure a positive result away from home ahead of the return leg in London.
