Maurizio Sarri feels Eden Hazard is the best player in Europe following his hat trick display against Cardiff City.
Eden Hazard has been left out of the Chelsea squad that travelled to Greece on Wednesday as Maurizio Sarri prepares to make significant changes to his starting XI for Thursday’s opening Europa League match against PAOK Salonika.
Hazard scored a hat trick in the 4-1 win over Cardiff City on Saturday and has five goals in five Premier League appearances this season, but Chelsea will continue to manage his minutes carefully in light of his World Cup exertions with Belgium during the summer.
David Luiz and Mateo Kovacic have also remained in London along with Emerson Palmieri, who has yet to feature in a match-day squad under Sarri.
Chelsea’s midfield options have been boosted by the return to training of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesc Fabregas, both of whom made the trip to Thessaloniki.
Also aboard the plane was Ethan Ampadu, who looks set to feature after he signed a new contract with Chelsea until June 2023.
Academy prospects Callum Hudson-Odoi and Marcin Bulka could be involved from the start or the substitutes’ bench against PAOK after both men were added to the B-list on Tuesday and included in the travelling party.
The remainder of the September fixture schedule is a testing one for Chelsea, with a London derby against West Ham on Sunday followed by matches against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and Premier League within four days.
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