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Reece James has admitted that leading Chelsea when he was out injured was the “hardest thing”, but says he is “growing as a captain” now he is fit.

James is fit and firing this season for Enzo Maresca’s third-place Blues after years of injury setbacks and has emerged as a key player for England during Tuchel’s reign.

The 25-year-old’s first silverware with Chelsea came under the German’s tutelage, when he won the Champions League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup all in the summer of 2021.

Now the German has made it clear James is his first-choice right-back by selecting

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