UCL: Chelsea leaves Eto o in London
for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final
first leg against Atletico Madrid.
Eto'o was left in London with what Chelsea
described as a "minor knee irritation" but
Eden Hazard, who has not played since
suffering a calf injury in the quarter-final win
over Paris Saint-Germain, did travel with the
squad on Monday.
Eto's absence paves the way for Fernando
Torres to start against the club he joined as an
11-year-old and went on to help secure their
promotion to La Liga.
Petr Cech is included in a 20-man squad party
after missing Saturday's shock home defeat to
Sunderland in the Premier League through
illness but Branislav Ivanovic is suspended,
so David Luiz may play at right-back and
Ashley Cole could return on the left.
Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah are
ineligible after playing for Benfica and Basle
respectively earlier in this year's competition.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone has been boosted
by the news that midfielder Arda Turan is fit.
The Turkey international had been sidelined
with a groin injury suffered during the quarter-
final first leg against Barcelona and his return
will ease the pressure on playmaker Koke.
Atletico are free to select goalkeeper Thibaut
Courtois, who is on loan from Chelsea.
After the two sides were paired together, the
Spanish club were due to pay a fee if they
picked the Belgian international but UEFA
deemed the clause in the loan agreement was
'unenforceable'.
Striker Diego Costa - who has scored seven
goals in six Champions League games -
claimed his 35th of the season in a 2-0 win
over Elche on Friday and will lead the Atletico
line.
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