Opponent Watch: Former Chelsea boss might not make it to rival dugout ahead of the upcoming clash

Carlo Ancelotti could miss the upcoming Chelsea vs Real Madrid UEFA Champions League tie due to Covid

According to AS (h/t Metro), Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is likely to miss out on their upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture against Chelsea due to Covid.

The 62-year-old manager boasts of an impressive resume having won the UCL thrice and FIFA Club World Cup on two occasions to date. Ancelotti has managed to take Los Blancos to the top of the La Liga table as they enjoy a healthy lead of 12 points over Barcelona who currently sit in second place.

Despite their dominance in the Spanish league, the club from Madrid have struggled to open up opposition defences on a few occasions and their recent thumping defeat at the hand of Barcelona in the El-Classico could be viewed as a good example.

Nonetheless, one should never write off the Santiago Bernabeu outfit as we saw them mount an impressive comeback in the second leg of the Round of 16 fixture against Paris Saint-Germain. The potential unavailability of the Italian manager could be a setback for Real, but only time will tell whether or not the Blues will use it to their advantage.

Will Ancelotti make it to Stamford Bridge?

The former Chelsea manager currently seems to be in a race against time to be deemed fit for the match against the Blues. The first leg takes place on 7th April at Stamford Bridge and the West Londoners will be looking to make the most of this situation.

The Blues knocked out Real Madrid in the semi-final of the competition last year and our fans would be hoping to see a repeat of the same result this time around in the quarter-final. Whereas Los Blancos will have the extra motivation to down the Blues this time around.

Chelsea faced an uncharacteristic and humiliating defeat at the hands of Brentford in the Premier League this weekend and would be looking to put it all behind them. The London-based club will have to put in a better shift should they wish to qualify for the next round of Europe’s most prestigious competition.

Despite marinating a healthy lead in the Spanish League, Ancelotti could be under some pressure to deliver in the UCL. It can be a tantalising thing for a coach to not be able to influence proceedings from the dugout as his side plays such an important game. The Madrid faithful would be hoping that he makes it in time for the second leg of the fixture.

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While this may be a big blow to the Spanish club, the Stamford Bridge outfit should be wary of any complacency should they look to defend their Champions League title. The Blues would be hoping for a favourable result in the first leg for we know the damage that they can cause at the Santiago Bernabeu.