Chelsea without four players for Champions League clash with Ajax

Chelsea will be without four first-team players for the Champions League clash against Ajax. N’Golo Kante, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Ross Barkley were the most notable absentees. Barkley is unavailable after he picked up an ankle injury during the 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday. Kante injured his groin while on international duty with France. Christensen is expected to spend the next two weeks on sidelines with a hamstring issue, while Rudiger was spotted with his team-mates at training, but did not make the trip to the Dutch capital. Lampard has picked a 19-man squad to travel to the Netherlands for the group stage clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcos Alonso, Jorginho, Tammy Abraham, Willian, Willy Caballero, Kurt Zouma, Mateo Kovacic, Olivier Giroud, Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic, Michy Batshuayi, Reece James, Cesar Azpilicueta, Fikayo Tomori, Jamie Cumming, Emerson Palmieri, Billy Gilmour.

Ajax coach sends message to Chelsea over Johan Cruyff Arena pitch before Champions League clash