Hazard set for second Europa League start of season

Eden Hazard is set for only his second Europa League start of the season in Chelsea’s quarter-final second leg against Slavia Prague.

Chelsea host Slavia at Stamford Bridge on Thursday having beaten them 1-0 away from home last week, with Marcos Alonso scoring four minutes from time.

Hazard was a second-half substitute in Prague, though that was only his fourth appearance in the Europa League this season having generally been saved for the Premier League.

The Belgium star’s last start in Europe was away to BATE in November, as Chelsea won 1-0.

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Otherwise there are few surprises in the starting XI, though Mateo Kovacic and Ross Barkley start together in midfield.

Olivier Giroud leads the line having scored nine times in 10 Europa League games this term, and he will again be out to prove a point to Maurizio Sarri after speaking of his frustration at a lack of first-team football in Wednesday’s pre-match news conference.

Former Chelsea youngster Miroslav Stoch is on the bench for Slavia.