Cole is set to return to the Blues starting XI.
After a shock defeat to Stoke City in the Premier League Chelsea are set to recall Ashley Cole to their team for the Champions League clash with Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday, reports the Daily Express.
Cole has been relegated to the bench ever since a poor performance against Newcastle United in the league back in November, when the Blues lost 2-0 at St James’ Park.
The display marked what had been an uncharacteristically sloppy season for the left-back and since then manager Jose Mourinho has utilised Cesar Azpilicueta in the position.
Although the Spaniard has generally impressed Azpilicueta is naturally a right-back and of course is limited by that factor when operating on the left side.
With the west London club already through to the last-16 of the European competition, it’s less of a risk for Mourinho to change the tactics.
However, the 50-year-old may have been doing this anyway after back-to-back shoddy showings defensively that saw the side concede six league goals in four days to lowly Sunderland and Stoke.
Cole needs to start playing regularly again if the 32-year-old is to feature in Roy Hodgson’s World Cup plans next summer.
It will be the last chance for the defender to have international success with England team on the biggest stage, but is already in danger of losing out in the starting XI to Everton star Leighton Baines.
The 28-year-old has been performing brilliantly for the past few years and Hodgson has recently been using the Toffees man ahead of Cole.
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