Doubts over Costa and Hazard futures as Chelsea's Champions League exit marks end of an era

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James Olley10 March 2016

This felt like the end of an era. Chelsea exited the Champions League with their heaviest aggregate defeat in 11 years, under an interim manager and amid intense speculation over the team’s leading players, while their captain sat helpless in the stands with two months left until he is thrust into the wilderness.

As things stand, John Terry and Guus Hiddink will not be at Stamford Bridge next season. The malaise they leave behind prompts a discussion as to how many of this current squad will follow them out the door.

Diego Costa and Eden Hazard are the most likely candidates to leave, given rumours of their unhappiness and a raft of potential suitors monitoring their respective situations. Both retired hurt before the final whistle of last night’s 2-1 defeat by Paris St Germain but in vastly differing circumstances.

Perhaps motivated by another brooding striker in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Costa was at his bulldozing best, taking the fight to the French side with a mixture of bravado and class exemplified in his equalising goal to cancel out Adrien Rabiot’s opener.

Hiddink revealed afterwards that Costa had played with an injury — and it showed. The 27-year-old was one of those singled out for criticism by Chelsea fans over an apparent drop in work-rate after falling out with Jose Mourinho but he was applauded off here when his night ended prematurely on the hour mark.

In truth, Chelsea’s hopes went with him. Ibrahimovic used the opportunity to take centre-stage, smashing the ball home after a fine PSG move involving a magical through-ball from Thiago Motta and Angel Di Maria’s pinpoint cross. It all proved too much for Hazard. Oscar was being readied to enter the fray with 13 minutes remaining as Chelsea went in search of the three goals they needed to qualify when fourth official Marco Achmuller briefly displayed Pedro’s number as he prepared to raise the electronic board above his head.

Then, suddenly, Chelsea were defending a corner when Hazard began limping and signalled to the bench. Quickly, the number was altered and, in a flash, he made his way off the pitch. Hazard, frequently linked with a summer move to PSG, had been dismal in the first leg and there were some inside the stadium who felt he had thrown in the towel here.

A smattering of boos from home supporters greeted him as he left the field. Whereas Costa high-fived everyone on the bench before walking down the tunnel for treatment, Hazard headed straight for the dressing room.

Whatever the significance, it is clear that the rebuilding job for Hiddink’s successor is both complex and sizeable. The Dutchman acknowledged as much afterwards in a frank assessment; he is, of course, afforded a freedom of speech that comes with the knowledge he is soon to depart.

“Chelsea is now in a transition period,” he said. “They have to see how to go on and try to regain the lost terrain where Chelsea used to be. It is true. It is difficult to get into fourth position. It was a very big gap to go in a place where we arrive to play in Champions League. We’ll try and do our first job, to get out of the relegation zone, but it was a very big gap to go and reach the top four and the Champions League places.

“Chelsea must consider their short-term future and how to handle this but they knew beforehand.”

By contrast, PSG’s development as a team on this stage is neatly defined by a potted history of their recent matches against Chelsea. Two seasons ago, the Blues required a late Demba Ba goal to scramble their way past the Parisians. Last year Laurent Blanc’s side edged a contest on away goals. This time the Blues were outfought and outclassed.

These are two clubs with huge funding travelling in markedly different directions. A top-four finish is not completely impossible given the inconsistency of others but it would take the most improbable run of results in this most improbable season to pull it off from here. More likely is the prospect of a year without Champions League — perhaps even European football altogether — and this summer will witness a test of resolve among those unsettled players as to who is prepared to help the club claw their way back.

Not being able to offer elite level European competition for the first time since 2003 will make attracting new players considerably harder; this grand old stadium will be under renovation starting the season after next so it will be some time before it plays host to club football’s finest.

Chelsea will lose at least £40million in revenue without Champions League football but this is about a lot more than money. They were reliant on a 20-year-old making his 10th appearance to salvage this game after Costa went off. The squad needs an overhaul, a new identity is required — a vacuum exists where champions once stood.

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