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Chelsea team news: Giroud and Morata will be benched against Barcelona - pundit
CHELSEA boss Antonio Conte will once again play Eden Hazard as the lone striker against Barcelona tomorrow.
Chelsea face Barcelona in the Champions League last-16 second-leg tomorrow
That is the opinion of ESPN FC pundit and former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley.
Hazard started the Champions League last-16 first-leg clash up front on his own, with Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud on the bench.
Conte has regularly gone with that tactic of late and was criticised for doing so in the 1-0 loss to Manchester City nine days ago.
Chelsea go into tomorrow’s second leg knowing they will need to score at least once, with the aggregate score at 1-1.
I’m expecting him to play without a natural striker again because that’s what he did in the home leg
But Burley does not think it will be the job of Morata or Giroud to score that goal - at least not from the start.
And the Scot expects Barcelona to have enough to reach the next round.
“I do expect them to go through,” Burley said.
Chelsea team leave London for Barcelona match
“Chelsea have had defensive problems most of the season.
“There’s been a lot of personnel changes and I’m expecting him to play without a natural striker again because that’s what he did in the home leg.
“So I don’t see Chelsea going through.”
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