On Wednesday, Chelsea will take on Juventus for matchday two of the 2021/22 Champions League. Both teams come into this tie having won their respective fixtures against Russian outfit Zenit and Swedish minnows Malmo respectively, and the Blues will be aiming to take one step closer towards booking a round of 16 spot with a win in Turin.
The last time Chelsea visited Turin, things didn't go as planned. In 2012, the Blues were the reigning Champions League winners, but a 3-0 defeat to La Vecchia Signora saw them make history for all the wrong reasons - as the first UCL title holders to fail to get out of their group.
Flash-forward nine years later, and Chelsea are again the champions of Europe. However, they have a frustrating record when it comes to playing Italian sides, and in fact, have lost in their last four trips to the country. Suffice it to say, Thomas Tuchel will be looking to avoid the same fate that affected his predecessors and will be aiming to end Chelsea's Italian hoodoo once and for all.
Unfortunately, they'll have to do it without one of their most influential players: N'Golo Kante. The French star, who played a vital role in Chelsea's Champions League triumph, only just returned to action after a long injury lay-off due to a groin problem.
Kante now has been diagnosed with COVID-19, meaning that the 2018 World Cup winner will miss not just the upcoming tie against the Bianconeri, but also several games for club and country, with the next international break just around the corner.
This comes as a huge blow for Chelsea, who are also missing American star Christian Pulisic, as well as English youngsters Mason Mount and Reece James due to injuries.
