Chelsea have been handed a timely boost ahead of their Champions League final clash with Manchester City, with both N'Golo Kante and Edouard Mendy returning to full training on Wednesday.
Kante has been key to Chelsea's success in the competition and Thomas Tuchel will have been sweating on the touchline as the midfielder was taken off with a minor hamstring problem in the club's recent Premier League victory over Leicester.
The France World Cup winner missed Chelsea's trip to Aston Villa as a consequence and there had been fears growing that he could be absent for Saturday's all-English affair at Porto's Estadio do Dragao.
However, it appears Kante is winning his race to be fit for the final after he was seen training with the rest of Tuchel's first-team squad at Cobham on Wednesday, according to The Sun.
The report claims goalkeeper Mendy - who came off with a rib injury at Villa Park - joined Kante in full training before the pair worked on their fitness together in a separate session away from the main group.
The news will come as a huge relief to Chelsea supporters, with Tuchel's players scheduled to jet out to Portugal on Thursday.
Mateo Kovacic returned to the starting XI at Villa after a thigh issue kept him sidelined for ten matches and the Croatian managed 66 minutes before being replaced by Kai Havertz.
Andreas Christensen also travelled to the West Midlands after shaking off a hamstring injury but was an unused substitute as the visitors suffered defeat but clung on to the final Champions League qualification spot.
Chelsea head coach Tuchel said he was positive over the severity of Mendy's injury after the Senegal international collided into the post during the first half.
'The update is we still have hope he joins training on Wednesday and he joins the group,' he told reporters at his post-match press conference.
'He made huge improvement with the management of pain. So we need a further update on Wednesday but we hope to have him back.'
Pressed further on Mendy's condition, the German said: 'Edou will play if he's fit. If he's not fit on Wednesday we will try on Thursday and Friday.
'At the same time we have trust if he cannot make it. We have a strong guy in Kepa [Arrizabalaga] who can take his place. So now the race is on.
'The images don't show the injury is too serious so we are positive. But every hour counts now and every day counts.
'Hopefully, the team around Edou and himself can do enough and it would be a good boost.'
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