Like many German and English supporters, Guy Stéphan, assistant to coach Didier Deschamps, will be at Stamford Bridge this Tuesday evening (9 p.m.) on the occasion of the Champions League round of 16 first leg between Chelsea and Bayern Munich. In addition to the international U20 Michaël Cuisance, Bayern has 4 tricolors in its workforce: Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernandez, Corentin Tolisso and Kingsley Coman. Chelsea side, they are 3: Kurt Zouma, N'Golo Kanté and Olivier Giroud. And not all will tread the London lawn.
Pavard is gaining ground
His transfer for 35 M € from Stuttgart, which then descended to the second division, left doubtful in Bavaria. The French defender, like many, had a hard time digesting the World Cup victory. This season, he is the most used field player at Bayern after Robert Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich. Right central or lateral defender, Benjamin Pavard (23) is an unstoppable 11 Munich player and has established himself as a reliable value. "Benji always gives his maximum and he is very disciplined, enthused his trainer, Hans-Dieter Flick, for Le Parisien . Its versatility is also invaluable. ”
Pavard's volley against Union Berlin last October (2-1)
Zouma lost his place
The former Stéphanois held in 18 of the first 21 league matches with Chelsea, as well as in six matches in the group stage of the Champions League. But since the returns of Christensen and Rüdiger in central defense, Kurt Zouma (25 years) wax the bench. If the statistics are to his advantage (69% of duels won in the Premier League, against 64% and 56% for Christensen and Rüdiger), the n ° 15 of the Blues seems absent from the little papers of Frank Lampard, who had qualified his start as "fantastic" season at the end of October. Across the Channel, we also wonder about the famed playing time of Fikayo Tomori (22, 0 minutes in the league in 2020), indisputable alongside the French three months ago. In case of opportunity, Zouma should not miss.
Hernandez goes up the slope
Operated on the right ankle last October, Lucas Hernandez (24) did not return to competition until the beginning of the month, and played 90 minutes with Bayern last Friday against Paderborn (3-2). "Playing an entire game does me a lot of good," he said in comments reported by The Team . I am certainly not yet at 100% of my physical capacities, but I feel better and better. Even though I had some slight pain at the end of the match, my ankle is holding up well. He will have to whip to find a starting position, with Alphonso Davies (19 years old) who moved in as left side. In central defense, Alaba, Boateng and Pavard form a traffic jam. Like his compatriot, Hernandez has for him the advantage of versatility.
Tolisso picks up the crumbs
Competition bars the route from the former Lyonnais to Bayern Munich. Kimmich, Alcantara and Goretzka form a trio in the midfield which Flick likes, and the physical glitches of Tolisso do not push into questioning. In the last 7 Bundesliga matches where he was available, the Frenchman started 6 as a substitute. Although he has distinguished himself on the European scene (2 goals and 3 assists in 5 games), Tolisso will certainly sit on the bench at Stamford Bridge, Bayern having all his midfielders.
The best of the 2019-20 season from Tolisso to Bayern
Kanté forfeited for both matches?
In his first three years with Chelsea, N'Golo Kanté only missed 9 injury games. This season, he already has 10. The French world champion remains a precious cog in the London club when he is available, and his adductor injury suffered against Manchester United last week (0-2) is a blow like him as for Frank Lampard. "I hope it will only last three weeks, something like that," said the Blues coach. Already forfeited for this Tuesday, Kanté may be a bit tight for the round of 16 return in ... three weeks. He should however be reinstated for the international truce the following week.
Coman to validate his return
Holder in 5 of the last 6 matches of the French team, Kingsley Coman (23 years old) had free rein to explode in the club. Until a knee injury in the last match in the Champions League, against Tottenham on December 11 (3-1). The Frenchman spent two months in the infirmary and has only played 111 minutes since his return. "It is important that Hernandez and Coman are in good shape to strengthen the quality of the workforce," said illustrious forward Lothar Matthaus for AZ . Gnabry seems to be holding the rope to support Lewandowski on one side Tuesday. Not sure Coman is preferred to Müller, the German having panicked the statistics in recent months (5 goals and 14 assists in the Bundesliga).
Coman's best moments in 2018-19
Giroud no longer has the blues
Become unwanted in Chelsea, Olivier Giroud did not manage to find a way out during the winter transfer window. His season turned into a nightmare until February 17. Abraham injured, Batshuayi began his attack on Manchester United, promoting Giroud on the bench. The 3rd top scorer in the history of the Blues (39 goals) thus pushed back the lawns of the Premier League for the first time since November 30, and was refused a goal for a very slight offside (77th). Convinced, Lampard established him against Tottenham and did not regret it: a superb goal by a half-volley from the left (15th) and a deflection at the origin of the second signed Alonso (48th) guided Chelsea towards a capital victory (2-1). "Scoring that goal is a big relief for me," he said at the RMC Sport microphone. With the confidence of the coach, I try to restore him to the field and help my friends. ” Abraham back, Giroud is not sure to find the starting 11 anytime soon. But he can now hope to flourish in a status of "supersub" by the Euro, an "objective" for him.
Read also
- Chelsea's Baby Blues at Bayern