DAVID LUIZ has returned to Chelsea first team training after his rift with Antonio Conte.
Luiz was banished from the first team squad by boss Conte after the Brazilian questioned his tactics.
But the pair met up earlier this week for clear the air talks after he was axed from the matchday group to face Manchester United last week. And he has now joined in with training at the Chelsea's Cobham HQ - where he went through his paces with Danny Drinkwater. The midfielder looked sharp on the training ground just a day after Gareth Southgate revealed he had rejected an England call-up because he wasn't fit enough.
Drinkwater is now facing being left out in the cold by Southgate who is disappointed he would not join up with his injury-hit squad for the games against Germany and Brazil. Luiz fell-out with Conte last week amid the fall-out from the disappointing 3-0 Champions League defeat to Roma.
It is understood he questioned some of the tactics the Italian had employed in recent games - much to the anger of Conte. The Chelsea boss decided he could not allow Luiz undermine his authority and made an example of him by dropping him and making him act as ball-boy in training. In the Brazilian's absence, Chelsea went on to beat United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, with young replacement Andreas Christensen impressive at the heart of the defence. Drinkwater is now facing up to the prospect of his international career being over after he rejected the England call from Southgate.
The 27-year-old has played just 103 minutes of football for Chelsea this season following his £35million move from Leicester on transfer deadline day.
He arrived carrying an injury and suffered a further set-back which meant he only returned to action in Rome.
And he felt he was not up to the fitness levels needed to play against Brazil and Germany - believing he would be better served working through a special programme with Chelsea.
The Sun
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