Chelsea assistant coach Zsolt Low has refused to rule out the possibility of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy starting against Al-Hilal on Wednesday.
Mendy has missed the last month of Blues action due to representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, a tournament which they won on Sunday night.
The initial assumption was that the first-choice stopper would only be named on the substitutes' bench for the game with Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup semi-finals.
However, Low has suggested that Mendy is competing with Kepa Arrizabalaga for a starting spot in the last-four showdown in Abu-Dhabi.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Low said: "Mendy will arrive probably later today or tomorrow and we'll see how tired he is. He has to arrive first, we have to check him and talk to him. We'll see if it's possible he plays, maybe.
"We have two amazing goalkeepers. Mendy made a fantastic performance to win the Africa Cup and be best goalkeeper but Kepa does an amazing job with us here. In the last game, he saved an important penalty and is in good shape. We'll have talks with the goalkeeping coaches before deciding."
Arrizabalaga has made six starts since the turn of the year, conceding just three goals during that period.
Darren Plant
