Chelsea pair fall victim to hot pace of the game

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel had warned that his big names might be playing too much football, and yesterday he lost forwards Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner to injury against lowly opposition in the Champions League.

The defending European champions were easy 4-0 winners against Malmo in Group H with goals from Andreas Christensen and Kai Havertz and two bullet penalties by Jorginho.

But Lukaku fell victim to a clumsy tackle by Lasse Nielsen in the 18th minute, and Werner pulled up clutching a hamstring before the break at Stamford Bridge.

Tuchel said he did not regret playing Lukaku, who had failed to score in six games before yesterday's clash.

"It was maybe the moment to give him confidence," Tuchel explained.

The coach who led Chelsea to Champions League glory against Manchester City in May and whose side are top of the English Premier League had suggested before the game that some players might have lost a little motivation through playing too much.

He mentioned Lukaku in particular, saying "he played too many games over the summer."

Lukaku, who signed for Chelsea from Inter Milan at the start of the season, has twice joined up with Belgium since he arrived in London.

Werner, too, worked hard to help Germany qualify for the World Cup during the international weeks.

Chelsea face Norwich City at home in an early kickoff tomorrow and are likely to be without the two forwards.