Claudio Ranieri’s return to Stamford Bridge (from where he was fired 12 years ago) as a Premier League champion is one of the greatest stories we are ever going to see in the sport.
It is set to be a night of celebrations at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, as the fans get set to welcome Ranieri back to West London. Not only will this be an occasion for Ranieri’s reunion with the Blues, but it will also be a day when the Stamford Bridge faithful bid adieu to interim manager Guus Hiddink.
While neither of the teams have much left to play for, Chelsea will be trying to get a win in this match in order to retain their ninth spot on the Premier League table.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea FC
The Blues will miss out on striker Diego Costa’s services in the last match of the season, as the Spaniard is still suffering from a hamstring injury. Young Burkina-Faso striker Bertrand Traore is set to take his place as the frontman against Leicester.
The Blues will be happy to welcome goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into their squad after the Belgian missed their 1-1 draw at Liverpool due to an illness. However, right back Branislav Ivanovic still remains doubtful for this match with a groin problem.
Captain John Terry will also miss what could be his last game at Chelsea after being sent off against Sunderland last week. Defensive midfielder John Obi Mikel is set to take up the centreback position yet again. The Nigeria international was a revelation in the heart of the Chelsea defence against Liverpool, conducting himself with calmness to thwart the Reds’s attacks.
Eden Hazard was on fire against Liverpool in the weekend, and could prove to be the key to unlocking the Leicester defence. Instead of his usual position on the left wing, Hazard was often playing as a centre attacking midfielder. The new role seems to suit him quite well, and we can expect the Belgian to drift inside yet again.
This tactic could work wonders against Leicester, who play with just two central midfielders, instead of three, giving Hazard lots of space to work with. However, the Belgian also has to contend with hardworking Leicester midfielders like Danny Drinkwater and N’Golo Kante.
Possible Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Rahman, Mikel, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Hazard, Willian, Pedro; Traore.
Leicester City
The only absentee for Leicester City in this match is that of former Chelsea man Robert Huth, who is still serving out a retrospective ban by the FA for pulling Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini’s hair earlier this month. Polish defender Marcin Wasilewski is set to take his place in the heart of the defence.
The Leicester fans are in for some good news, as midfielder Danny Drinkwater is set to come back into the starting XI after serving out his own suspension during the 3-1 win against Everton. To add to that, Leicester’s star striker Jamie Vardy will start in the match, after recovering from cramps in his hamstring in the last match against Everton.
Ranieri has started a 4-4-2 revolution, this season with Leicester, and the simplicity and honesty of Leicester’s brand of football has taken the Premier League by storm. It is a team where the sum of all parts is greater than any individual.
As mentioned earlier, an in-form Hazard mlaying in the hole behind the striker could cause some problems for Chelsea. However, Leicester have been getting outnumbered in midfield throughout the season. They have been dealing with this problem by virtue of the sheer hard work of their midfielders Drinkwater and Kante. Even striker Shinji Okazaki drops back into midfield when the Foxes do not have the ball.
Possible Starting XI (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Fuchs, Wasilewski, Morgan, Simpson; Albrighton, Kante, Drinkwater, Mahrez; Vardy, Okazaki.
Key Stats
- Leicester have scored more away points than any other team in the Premier League this season (38).
- On the other hand, Chelsea have won just five Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge this season, with four of these wins coming against the bottom four teams, and the fifth one against Arsenal.
- Chelsea have conceded at least one goal in their last consecutive home matches in the Premier League.
- The Blues are unbeaten in nine of their last 10 matches at home.
- Leiccester have lost their last five matches at Stamford Bridge in all competitions.
Players to watch out for
Eden Hazard (Chelsea FC)
The Belgian has been miserable in the Chelsea shirt for most parts of the season. However, his form has been playing Jekyll and Hyde with him over the last few matches. His put in an immense performance against Liverpool in midweek, during which he was a constant threat to the Reds’s defence and also showed great tenacity to track back and close the opponents down while Liverpool were attacking. If the in-form Hazard turns up against Leicester, it might be a bit too difficult for the newly crowned champions to defeat the former title winners.
Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
The man who will by most eager to get on the scoresheet in this match is striker Jamie Vardy. The 29 year old is tied with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero as the second highest scorer in the league, just one behind Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane. Vardy will be eager to clinch the golden boot award this season, as he does not really have age on his side. Also, as Claudio Ranieri himself admits, this season might have been a one-off for Leicester, and that the Foxes might never be able to replicate this feat again.
Prediction
Chelsea FC 2-2 Leicester City
With not much incentive other than pride left to play for, it seems unlikely that either team will get a win on the final day of the season. We are going for a 2-2 draw here only because we want Jamie Vardy to score the brace and get the Golden Boot award. The man deserves it, after all.
Blast from the past
