Chelsea
Chelsea Boss Confirms Double Injury Boost Ahead Of Everton Clash + Costa Update
Guus Hiddink has confirmed a major double injury boost ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup clash with Everton while he’s also offered an update on Diego Costa.
Chelsea will look to bounce back from their Champions League disappointment when they take on Everton in their FA Cup quarter final at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Ahead of the game, Guus Hiddink has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s offered reporters a team news and injury update.
The interim boss was pleased to confirm that John Terry is back in the squad after finally overcoming a hamstring injury that’s kept him on the sidelines for the past five games.
The Blues skipper has been able to train fully for the past two days and Hiddink says the centre-back is now considered fit and available for selection this weekend.
In a double boost, Eden Hazard is also available to face the Toffees on Saturday despite the fact the Belgian international has been carrying a hip knock in recent weeks.
Hazard was forced off during the closing stages of Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night and Hiddink revealed the winger has been playing through the pain barrier, but is keen to play once again this weekend.
Diego Costa was also substituted at Stamford Bridge in midweek after aggravating a hip injury that kept him out of last Saturday’s clash with Stoke and Hiddink says he’ll make a late decision over the striker’s availability against Everton.
Here is what the Blues boss had to say:
Guus reports John Terry is back in the squad having trained well and intensely the last two days. #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 11, 2016
Guus says Eden Hazard is not without injury. He has been playing not fully fit. He will be available v Everton and is keen to play. #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 11, 2016
Guus says he will make a late decision on the availability of Diego Costa who has a hip problem #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 11, 2016
With Terry now back in contention, we should see Branislav Ivanovic move across to right-back after filling in alongside Gary Cahill over the past few weeks while Cesar Azpilicueta should revert to left-back.
We’ll have to wait and see whether Costa is passed fit to play but if the Spanish international is ruled out, then Hiddink will have to decide whether to go with youngster Bertrand Traore or hand Alexandre Pato his first start up front.
