Romelu Lukaku close, Timo Werner closer to Chelsea return

By: The Associated Press Posted: 7:33 AM CST Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 Last Modified: 7:33 AM CST Friday, Nov. 19, 2021

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea's striker crisis is starting to ease.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea's striker crisis is starting to ease.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/11/2021 (1750 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea’s striker crisis is starting to ease.

Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner are back in training and expected to return soon, though the English Premier League game at Leicester on Saturday is too soon.

Lukaku, who was Chelsea’s record signing in August, and Werner have been out since sustaining injuries in the 4-0 victory over Malmo in the Champions League one month ago.

Werner has rejoined team training for the Premier League leaders after his hamstring injury and appears closer to a return than the Belgium international, who has been doing individual sessions after recovering from an ankle injury.

“Romelu is very close to team training, so hopefully he will join in the squad on Sunday,” manager Thomas Tuchel said on Friday at a pre-match news conference. “He’s pushing hard and trying to come back as soon as possible. We will try on Sunday.”

Juventus visits Stamford Bridge on Tuesday for a Champions League match followed by Manchester United on Sunday in a league game.

“If everything works out perfectly, if he is in training on Sunday and then on Monday, OK he can maybe join the group on the bench,” Tuchel said of Lukaku possibly suiting up against Juventus. “But there are a lot of ifs, and I don’t want to put pressure on him. He’s putting a lot of pressure on himself and we will not rush things.”

Germany international Werner has a shot at playing against 12th-placed Leicester. He trained with the team on Thursday and was expected to do the same on Friday.

“Then we will decide if it makes sense that he’s maybe even in the squad or on the bench,” Tuchel said.

Lukaku has four goals in 11 appearances across all competitions and Werner has two in 10.

Oft-injured United States winger Christian Pulisic made two substitute appearances on international duty and “feels fine,” Tuchel said. Pulisic injured an ankle during the previous international break.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports