Amsterdam: Chelsea could be without captain John Terry and playmaker Eden Hazard for Wednesday's Europa League final against Benfica. After winning the Champions League title last year, Chelsea failed to reach the knockout stage this season and has long been a non-factor in the Premier League title chase. That means only victory in the lesser of Europe's two cup tournaments can salvage a disappointing season for the London club.
Both Terry and Hazard picked up injuries Sunday in Chelsea's Premier League win over Aston Villa - meaning Terry could miss his second straight European final after being suspended for last year's Champions League decider.
Benfica, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after losing their lead in the Portuguese league to title rival Porto in their top-of-the-table clash Saturday. Porto now has a one-point advantage over Benfica with one round to play.
Chelsea come into the final on an eight-match unbeaten run and have a number of defensive options who can fill in for Terry - including Brazil international David Luiz, who transferred from Benfica two years ago. Their more worrisome injury may be the hamstring problem for Hazard, who limped off in stoppage time of the Villa game. Hazard is steadily turning into Chelsea's most creative player and his speed and passing skills would be sorely missed against Benfica....
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09:27 PM, May 14, 2013
London: Chelsea are hopeful Belgium winger Eden Hazard can shrug off a calf problem in time for Wednesday's crucial Premier League showdown with Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge. The quicksilver Hazard was forced to miss Sunday's 1-0 victory at champions Manchester United after sustaining the injury in the Europa League semi-final win over Swiss club Basel on Thursday. "He has a problem with his calf," interim manager Rafael Benitez told...
03:46 PM, May 06, 2013
London: Chelsea kept up their push for a Champions League spot by beating Swansea 2-0 on Sunday with both goals coming shortly before the halftime break. Oscar put Chelsea ahead at Stamford Bridge in the 44th minute and Frank Lampard then doubled the lead from the penalty spot a minute later for his 201st goal for the club, moving him within one of Bobby Tambling's record. Lampard began the game...
12:01 AM, Apr 29, 2013
London: The two sides of Luis Suarez were on full display Sunday as the Liverpool striker first bit an opponent's arm and then scored a last-minute equalizer for Liverpool in a 2-2 draw against Chelsea in the Premier League. In the latest chapter in his controversial career, the Uruguay international tussled with Branislav Ivanovic in Chelsea's penalty box and television pictures showed Suarez biting the top of the defender's right...
10:37 PM, Apr 21, 2013
Eden Hazard has the attributes to become one of the world's best footballers, according to team mate Frank Lampard. ...
05:43 PM, Mar 18, 2013
Frank Lampard and Eden Hazard scored either side of the break to take the Blues above Tottenham. ...
11:28 PM, Mar 17, 2013
Chelsea or Manchester United will face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals and Wigan Athletic will play Championship Millwall or Blackburn Rovers. ...
09:41 AM, Mar 11, 2013
Eden Hazard and Ramires scored in the second half of the FA Cup quarter-final to cancel out Hernandez and Rooney's goals in the first. ...
11:59 PM, Mar 10, 2013
Zenit St. Petersburg resisted a Liverpool fightback inspired by Luis Suarez to reach last 16 on the away-goals rule after a 3-3 aggregate score. ...
08:41 AM, Feb 22, 2013
Hazard was sent off Wednesday for kicking a ball boy in the 79th minute of the League Cup semifinal match against Swansea. ...
08:16 AM, Jan 26, 2013
Hazard has apologised for kicking a ballboy during the League Cup semi-final against Swansea. ...
12:53 PM, Jan 24, 2013
Hazard was shown a red card for kicking the ball boy in the ribs while attempting to retrieve the ball in the 79th minute. ...
08:33 AM, Jan 24, 2013
Demba Ba and Hazard gave Chelsea a comfortable half-time lead before the third-place side experienced their second consecutive home setback. ...
03:57 AM, Jan 17, 2013
Jonathan Walters scored two own goals, while Frank Lampard and Eden Hazard got the other two. ...
10:29 PM, Jan 12, 2013
Leeds: Chelsea scored five goals in a masterful second-half display to beat old rival Leeds 5-1 on Wednesday, setting up a meeting with Swansea in the semi-finals of the League Cup. A shock was on when Leeds went in at half-time 1-0 up thanks to Luciano Becchio's 37th-minute goal at a rain-soaked Elland Road. However, Chelsea was clinical after the break, equalizing through Spain playmaker Juan Mata in the 47th...
08:11 AM, Dec 20, 2012
London: Chelsea have signed Lens teenage midfielder Thorgan Hazard who joins his older brother Eden at the European Champions League, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. Thorgan, 19, is two years younger than Belgian international Eden, who signed for Chelsea from Lille last month, and can play in a similar range of attacking midfield positions. He joined Lens aged 14 and moved up to the senior squad last season,...
08:37 AM, Jul 25, 2012
Seattle: Young Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku scored twice and new signings Eden Hazard and Marko Marin also found the net as Chelsea opened its American tour with a 4-2 win over the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday. Lukaku muscled his way to a goal in the third minute then scored his second goal in the final minute of the first half as Chelsea won on its first outing since lifting the...
01:03 PM, Jul 19, 2012
Paris: Eden Hazard is set to join European champions Chelsea, who appear to have beaten Premier League winners Manchester City and Manchester United in the race to sign one of football's brightest young talents. The 21-year-old Belgium winger had a brilliant season for Lille, scoring 20 league goals " one behind French leaders and Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud " and topping the list with 15 assists. He scored a first-half...
08:53 AM, May 29, 2012
Manchester: Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has urged in-demand Eden Hazard to reject an offer from rivals Manchester City in favour of a move to Old Trafford. Lilles Belgian attacker is one of the hottest properties in European football, and is said to be weighing up offers from both Manchester clubs, as well as newly-crowned European champions Chelsea. And United leftback Evra is in no doubt over which destination Hazard...
12:50 PM, May 28, 2012
