Soccer-Chelsea's Azpilicueta, Alonso back in training after injury, illness

(Reuters) - Chelsea's Spanish defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso have resumed training after missing the last two matches due to injury and COVID-19 respectively, the Premier League club said.

Club captain Azpilicueta suffered an injury in Chelsea's League Cup defeat by Liverpool. He missed their 3-2 FA Cup win over Luton Town last week and the 4-0 rout of Burnley in the league over the weekend.

Alonso was also ruled out of both matches due to COVID-19 but the pair have returned to full fitness and trained on Monday ahead of Thursday's league visit to Norwich City and Sunday's game at home against Newcastle United.

Chelsea are third in the table with 53 points from 26 matches, 10 points behind second-placed Liverpool and 16 adrift of leaders Manchester City, who both have games in hand.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)