Champions Chelsea beat Malmo 4-0 with Lukaku, Werner out injured in first-half
Jorginho’s double, Andreas Christensen’s first Chelsea goal and Kai Havertz’s smart finish give Chelsea a 4-0 victory over Malmo in Champions League Group H.
Skysports reports that both strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner are both injured for the hosts.
Thomas Tuchel admitted both strikers will be out for “a while” after they were both forced off in the first half of an otherwise sterling night for the Blues, who romped to their biggest win under his management to reignite their Champions League campaign.
“We need more examinations to be more precise but they will be out for some matches,” the Blues boss said, barely a day after telling reporters Lukaku had been suffering from mental and physical fatigue.
By the time of Lukaku’s departure after 23 minutes the Blues were already two goals to the good, thanks to Andreas Christensen’s volleyed opener, his first goal in Chelsea colours, as well as Jorginho’s spot kick given for Lasse Nielsen’s horror scissor slide-tackle on him, for which the defender escaped with only a booking.
Chelsea’s injury concerns worsened when Werner was forced off when he went down off the ball with what appeared a hamstring complaint.
Without a recognised striker left among their squad, the makeshift partnership of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz then combined well for the German to add the Blues’ third three minutes into the second period, before Jorginho rounded off the scoring with his second from 12 yards after Antonio Rudiger was bundled over in the area by Eric Larsson.
Hudson-Odoi, Mount and Jorginho came close to adding a Chelsea fifth as the hosts’ intensity remained high to the last kick, but the game was long won – and Tuchel’s attentions fast turned to consider what attacking line-up he will be able to field when Norwich visit Stamford Bridge in less than three days’ time.
