Chelsea are set to miss out on the services of their top marksman Diego Costa, as they prepare for the match against newly crowned Premier League champions Leicester City.
Costa is suffering from a hamstring injury that had kept him out of Chelsea’s midweek draw against Liverpool at Anfield. Blues manager Guus Hiddink even went on to say that the 27 year old might be doubtful for the Euro 2016 coming up next month.
“He [Costa] needs a good rest and with training he might be fit for the Euros but I’m not sure,” Hiddink was quoted as saying on Chelsea’s official website.
Right back Branislav Ivanovic is also a doubtful case with a groin injury while captain John Terry will miss what could be his last match for the club, as he is suspended after picking up a double booking against Sunderland last weekend.
However, star man Eden Hazard, who has been suffering from several groin and hamstring injuries this season, seems to have leaped back into form in the match against Liverpool and is expected to play.
“After a splendid season before he’s [Hazard] had a difficult season, falling back into injuries, being close to good appearances and then falling back again,” said Hiddink.
Vardy, Drinkwater to play
Leicester’s top scorer Jamie Vardy had suffered a minor cramp on his hamstring in last week’s match against Everton, according to the BBC. The 29 year old is just one goal behind Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane in the top scorers chart, and will be eager to clinch the golden boot title. Midfielder Danny Drinkwater is also back in the first team after serving out his suspension in the last game against Everton.
However, former Chelsea centre back Robert Huth will miss out on a return to Stamford Bridge, as he has to serve out a two game retrospective suspension for pulling Marouane Fellaini’s hair in the match against Manchester United earlier this month.
The return of King Claudio
Claudio Ranieri would have been smacking his lips when the Premier League fixture’s list was published before the start of the season. He will be returning to the Stamford Bridge in the last game of the season. Ranieri would probably have been thinking about an unlikely upset in this fixture, perhaps managing to foil Chelsea’s chances of defending the Premier League title.
However, the tables have completely turned, as Leicester managed to win the league with two games in hand, while Chelsea are still trying to avoid slipping into the bottom half of the table. However, the man who got sacked from Chelsea 12 years back is set to get a rapturous applause from the Chelsea fans for what he has done with a massively underrated Leicester City team.