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Chelsea news: Hazard won’t start v Atletico, Morata will want to make point - Nicholas
ANTONIO CONTE is unlikely to start Eden Hazard for Chelsea against Atletico Madrid.
That is according to Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas.
Chelsea go into the game in a rich vein of form and warmed up for their second Champions League group game on Wednesday (7.45pm) with a 4-0 win away to Stoke on Saturday in the Premier League.
Hazard came on as a second-half substitute and could be in contention to start against the La Liga giants.
But Nicholas thinks Conte will omit Hazard from the starting XI especially with a league game against Manchester City on Saturday (5.30pm).
Eden Hazard may not start against Atletico Madrid
I think Antonio Conte might not put him in because they've got Manchester City coming next
“Would you play Eden Hazard? He doesn't look sharp yet and while his touch is there I don't see that drive to produce those slalom runs which make him really dangerous,” Nicholas told Sky Sports.
“I think Antonio Conte might not put him in because they've got Manchester City coming next and I think they'll be quite happy just to not lose this, especially after they struggled against Arsenal.”
Nicholas also reckons Alvaro Morata will desperate to prove a point, as he heads back to the Spanish capital to face his former club’s arch rivals.
Charlie Nicholas thinks Alvaro Morata will be keen to make a point against Atletico Madrid
He added: “Alvaro [Morata] is in red-hot form and will want to make a point returning to Madrid, but the man I'm going for to separate the game is Yannick Carrasco, who has scored in his last two.”
Meanwhile, the Blues announced the sale of Diego Costa.
The Spaniard rejoined Atletico, although he won’t be able to play for them until January as they are under a transfer embargo.