Romelu Lukaku has been left out of Chelsea’s starting XI to face Lille. Chelsea host Lille in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 fixture. Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz will instead lead Chelsea’s line. Lukaku, 28, has scored five goals in 17 Premier League appearances. The Belgium international, however has been more clinical in front of goal on the European stage, netting two goals in four Champions League matches. Lukaku has featured on the bench once already this season in the Champions League. The striker was left on the bench for Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Juventus in November. This is not the first time Lukaku has been dropped to the bench or from the squad entirely. In January, he was dropped from Chelsea’s squad to face Liverpool after he found himself at the centre of controversy after an interview was broadcast in Italy which seemed to criticise Thomas Tuchel's tactics. (Photo: James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
