Team
news, stats and how to watch ahead of Chelsea vs Tottenham in the first leg
of the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Wednesday; kick-off 7.45pm.
Team news
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku will return after disciplinary issues against
Tottenham.
Lukaku has apologised after revealing unhappiness at Chelsea in a recent
interview, while Timo Werner could feature for the first time since December
11 after Covid-19.
Andreas Christensen remains a doubt with back trouble, while Trevoh Chalobah
will face a late check after a recurrence of his previous thigh problem.
Tottenham are waiting for the results of PCR tests to see the extent of
their latest coronavirus outbreak.
Antonio Conte said his side had a "couple of issues" regarding some unnamed
players in the build-up to the game and will see how it develops before
Wednesday night's game.
Steven Bergwijn (calf), Ryan Sessegnon and Cristian Romero (both hamstring)
are all out.
Antonio Conte insists he has nothing to prove to Chelsea ahead of his first
return to Stamford Bridge since being sacked as the club's head coach in
2018.
Conte joined Chelsea in 2016 following a campaign in which they finished
10th in the Premier League, but engineered an astonishing turnaround in his
first season which culminated in the west Londoners claiming the title.
The Italian also helped the Blues to an FA Cup triumph in his second season,
but that final proved to be his last game and he was dismissed after months
of conflict with the club's hierarchy over transfers.
Conte then took a season out of the game before moving to Inter Milan, where
he led the side to their first Serie A title in over a decade, before
joining Tottenham - Chelsea's bitter rivals - in November.
The 52-year-old has enjoyed a bright start in north London, with just one
defeat in his first 11 games, and is now preparing to take Tottenham to
Chelsea for the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, live
on Sky Sports.
While Conte insisted he is looking forward to being back at Stamford Bridge,
he insisted: "I think in my position, I mustn't prove anything to anyone.
"I am a manager with experience and I have continued to do an important job
in other teams."
Opta stats
This will be eighth different League Cup tie between Chelsea and Tottenham,
and fourth to take place in the semi-finals of the competition - no sides
have met in the final four of the League Cup more often.
Chelsea have progressed from/won four of their previous seven League Cup
ties against Tottenham, including two of the previous three semi-final
meetings between the pair (1971-72 and 2018-19).
Tottenham have never won away against Chelsea in the League Cup, drawing one
and losing three of their visits to Stamford Bridge in the competition.
Since winning three games in a row against Chelsea between 2018 and 2019,
Tottenham are winless in their last eight against the Blues in all
competitions (D2 L6).
Chelsea have progressed from five of their last seven League Cup semi-final
ties, failing only in 2012-13 (vs Swansea) and 2017-18 (vs Arsenal) in this
run.
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