Eden Hazard is in line to start against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League but Antonio Conte admitted he’s adopting a cautious approach with the Belgian.
The Chelsea attacker fractured his ankle in June and has yet to start for the Blues in the Premier League this season.
Hazard got 90 minutes under his belt against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup but was left on the bench once more against Stoke as Conte continued to keep faith in attacking trio Willian, Pedro and Alvaro Morata.
The Italian is delighted with the strength in depth he has at his disposal with his attacking options and the quality of forwards has allowed him to ensure Hazard is in perfect condition before starting him in a big match.
With a tough trip to Spain to take on Atletico Madrid coming up on Wednesday, Conte faces a decision whether to start the 26-year-old or not against Diego Simeone’s men – something he will only do if the Belgium international is ‘ready’.
‘I think Eden is improving a lot and in contention for the game [in Madrid],’ he said.
‘After his injury and surgery you need time, and if I make the decision [to start him] it is because I think he is ready.
‘When you are in a great team with many great players, you must understand that you need to be ready to start on the bench, ready to come on and make a difference.
‘I don’t see a problem. We are managing his recovery very well. Hazard is very important for us, so we have to make sure he is ready to play a full game.
‘There are no injury worries. The players are fit and now it’s important to rest and recover well for the game on Wednesday and not forgetting we have another tough game on Saturday against Manchester City.’
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