Chelsea Team News & Injury Update: Mourinho On Hazard, Mata & De Bruyne

Chelsea take on Romanian champions Steaua Bucuresti on Tuesday night in the second game of their Champions League campaign.

Ahead of the game, Jose Mourinho has given Chelseafc.com a team news and injury update with the latest on Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Kevin De Bruyne. The Portuguese coach has taken a 20-man squad with him for the match with Hazard and De Bruyne joining Marco van Ginkel as the only senior players to be left behind.

Van Ginkel is out for the season with a knee injury and it seems Hazard has now joined him on the treatment table after picking up an ankle injury against Tottenham on Saturday. Mourinho is hopeful he will be fit after the forthcoming international break but there is a slight possibility he could feature against Norwich on Sunday.

The news regarding De Bruyne is a little more complex with Mourinho confirming he has been dropped from the squad due to poor performances against Swindon and in training, but Juan Mata has been rewarded for his fine recent display’s with a start against Bucharest.

Here is what Mourinho told the clubs official website:

‘Eden I don’t think will be fit for Sunday,’

‘I think he will be fit after the international break but Dr Biosca is always optimistic and says there is a little chance he can be fit for Sunday [when Chelsea visit Norwich].

‘Kevin is my option. I make mistakes but I try to be honest all the time so the same way I try to be honest with Juan [Mata] and say tomorrow he will play because of what he did in training and because of what he did in the last matches he played, it is the same with Kevin. He is not selected because I did not like the way he played against Swindon and I did not like the way he was training.’

The Blues opened up with a shock 2-1 loss to FC Basel at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago so will be desperate to bounce back and register their first win in Group E tomorrow.

What would be your preferred starting line-up for the game? Leave your suggestions below.