Alonso rejoins Chelsea training for Barca tie

Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso and midfielder Ross Barkley on Monday took part in a training session after having missed the past three matches, while David Luiz and Tiemoue Bakayoko were absent in the run-up to the Champions League game against Barcelona.

Chelsea is set to host Barcelona on Tuesday in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, reported Efe.

Alonso, who suffered a muscle injury and has not played since January 31, exercised normally on Monday.

Although defender Emerson Palmieri, who was signed in January, shone during his debut on Friday in Chelsea's 4-0 win over Hull City in the FA Cup, coach Antonio Conte has reiterated the importance of Alonso for the team.

Midfielder Ross Barkley also exercised normally, although he had not been able to participate as expected in recent weeks due to a recurring muscle injury.

Both midfielder Bakayoko, who has been sidelined since his side's 4-1 defeat against Watford on February 5, and defender Luiz did not train.

The group training also included two players from the youth squad: defender Trevoh Chalobah and forward Callum Hudson-Odoi.

--IANS

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