Eden Hazard: Chelsea forward BENCHED for final Premier League game of the season amid exit rumours
The Belgium international has dropped out the starting line-up for Sunday's trip to Leicester
Eden Hazard has dropped to the bench for Chelsea's final Premier League fixture of the season.
The Blues shocked supporters when their starting line-up was confirmed, with Pedro, Willian and Gonzalo Higuain starting in attack ahead of Hazard.
Willy Caballero, the goalkeeper, and right-back Davide Zappacosta have also come into the starting XI for the trip to Leicester, with 18-year-old Marc Guehi among the substitutes.
Maurizio Sarri's decision is sure to further fuel rumours Hazard will leave Chelsea this summer with Real Madrid known to be targeting the Belgium international.
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Hazard has been non-committal over his future in recent weeks as Real ramp up their interest in him.
He may have made his last ever appearance at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, and scoring the winning penalty to send Chelsea through to the Europa League final would be some way to bow out.
Sarri's decision to drop Hazard is understandable given he played all 120 minutes against Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek, and the Italian will not want to risk his star player getting injured before the final clash with Arsenal later this month.