Eden Hazard will need to prove he is back to his best to force his way into Chelsea’s starting line-up following his comeback from injury, says Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgium superstar is yet to feature for the Blues this season after suffering an ankle injury while on international duty earlier in the summer.
But the 26-year-old stepped up his rehabilitation by being selected in Roberto Martinez’s squad for Belgium’s World Cup qualifiers against Gibraltar and Greece.
Courtois admits Hazard’s return will be well received by the Chelsea dressing room but the goalkeeper says he will face a battle to regain his place in the starting XI.
‘It will be very good, we miss a player like Eden but I think Pedro and Willian did very well and started the season very well,’ Courtois told Sky Sports.
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‘It will be hard for him as well to come back into the team. Obviously Eden is someone who has done some amazing things for us.
‘We’re building a strong team at Chelsea and showed it last season – hopefully we can do the same this year.’
Antonio Conte admitted he was surprised by Hazard’s call-up to the Belgium squad but Courtois says his team-mate will not risk long-term problems by hiding the full extent of his injury.
‘Eden is the only one who knows how he feels,’ the 25-year-old added. ‘If he feels good, he loves to play for Belgium so it’s not a problem.
‘Eden knows if he’s not 100 per cent he will not risk it because it was a nasty injury.’
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