Eden Hazard left out of Chelsea squad to face PAOK

Eden Hazard has been left out of the Chelsea squad to face PAOK in their opening Europa League Group L clash on Thursday night.

The Belgian returned late from his World Cup duties in the summer and was subsequently eased back into the first team by new boss Maurizio Sarri, although he has quickly raced to the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts.

Hazard's tally was boosted by a hat-trick against Cardiff City at the weekend, but Sarri has taken the opportunity to rest his star man for the trip to Greece.

David Luiz and Mateo Kovacic have also been left out of the travelling party for the Blues, while Emerson Palmieri and Danny Drinkwater are absent from the squad as well.

Sarri is expected to make wholesale changes to his side for the match, with the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Gary Cahill in line for their first starts of the season.