CHELSEA are set to still be without Christopher Nkunku for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough – one of nine absentees as Mauricio Pochettino’s side aim to turn around a 1-0 deficit on Tuesday.
The Blues were down to one senior striker in Armando Broja for their 1-0 win against Fulham in their last game. Chelsea recalled Diego Moreira from his loan with Lyon on Monday.
“It’s a shame but he is still recovering and we hope he can help the team as soon as possible,” Pochettino said in his pre-match free conference when asked about Nkunku.
“As can happen after a long-term injury, finding the balance is the most difficult thing. He suffered a little thing in his hip – a problem there – and is recovering. It’s not a big issue but it’s delayed the possibility of him being available for the group. It’s not a big issue.”
Chelsea are still favourites to go through against Michael Carrick’s Championship team, who since the first leg won 3-1 against Millwall at The Den but then needed a late Marcus Forss equaliser at home against bottom side Rotherham United at the weekend.
“It’s a passport to go to a final, to visit Wembley. It’s a really important game for us and we need to show it’s important for the club, for us, for everyone,” Pochettino said.
“We want to be in the final but first we need to beat a very good team, Middlesbrough, that in the first leg we couldn’t beat.
“Of course, it’s going to be tough, but we are confident that we can have a very good game against Middlesbrough in front of our fans. We need to take advantage of playing at Stamford Bridge with all the energy that will translate from our fans.
“We felt very disappointed after [the first leg] because when you analysed it, we deserved more. But in football, sometimes it’s not about what you deserve. It’s about being clinical, aggressive, scoring goals, and defending actions that the opponent forces you into near your goal.
“We were all disappointed but we have 90 minutes to fix the situation and win. We will respect the opponent because they are going to be tough. But it’s a massive chance for us to have a possibility to go to the final and fight for a title.”
