Álvaro Morata returns to Chelsea training ahead of midweek Champions League clash against AS Roma

True to hopeful expectations, Chelsea striker Álvaro Morata has returned to training today.

Antonio Conte apparently did not give his players a customary day off after yesterday’s disastrous exertions, though it’s likely that the training sessions weren’t too intense and were focused mostly on recovery and possibly tactical work.

In either case, it’s great to see Morata make an appearance in the pictures posted by the official Chelsea Twitter account.

Morata himself posted a picture of himself in training on his Instagram account, and unlike the two prior ones, this one he hasn’t had to delete (yet!).

Morata had been out since Chelsea’s last game before the international break, picking up a hamstring injury in the 1-0 loss to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. He then joined up with the Spanish national team, who diagnosed his injury as a grade II strain, which generally is expected to keep players out for upwards of a month, if not more.

But Chelsea have maintained a much more hopeful stance and it would appear that they were indeed right. If Morata plays against Roma, he will have come back from the injury in just 2.5 weeks. (Let’s hope he’s not being rushed back too much, even if we desperately need him...)