NFL / football picks

Real Madrid have a number of injury concerns heading into Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg with Chelsea. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Spain, Karim Benzema equalising after a goal from Christian Pulisic, though the American winger’s first-half strike gives Chelsea an away goal to protect at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea’s lead is a slender one, especially against a club that has won the Champions League four seasons out of the last eight, dominating this competition. Though, Los Blancos face an uphill battle at Stamford Bridge due to a number of injury concerns that only grew on Saturday when they beat Osasuna in La Liga. Centre-back Raphael Varane suffered from muscular discomfort during the first half, forcing Zinedine Zidane into a substitution just after the break. Tests will reveal the extent of that injury, while Real Madrid are also waiting to find out whether they will get Federico Valverde back after the midfielder contracted coronavirus, forcing him to miss the first leg. Zidane already knows he is without Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez, who have been ruled out until the end of the season with respective injuries. But it’s not all bad news with Real Madrid potentially being able to call upon Marcelo, despite doubts over whether the Brazilian could play. Marcelo was called to serve at an election centre on Tuesday, and while Real Madrid cannot get him out of his civic duty as a Spanish citizen, they may well be able to get him to London on a private jet on Wednesday morning to make him available for the tie. Sergio Ramos and Ferland Mendy, who have both struggled with injury this month, could also return, both returning to individual training, and indeed a touch of group training ahead of Wednesday with Los Blancos hoping they can feature. Eden Hazard is also fit to play, coming through a start against Osasuna on Saturday unscathed following recent injury issues.Follow me at twitter.@godson_romeo