Team news news: so, no Eden Hazard for Chelsea, with Maurizio Sarri making five changes from the team that drew at Manchester United five days ago. Sarri wants a top-four spot in the Premier League instead of an Europa League trophy at the end of the season – he made no bones about it – but giving Hazard a breather in a semi-final seems a big, ballsy call. Rüdiger, Alonso, Kovacic, Higuaín and Hazard are replaced by Christensen, Emerson, Loftus-Cheek, Pedro and Giroud. The omission of Hazard is a boost for a Frankfurt side unbeaten in their past 11 matches in this competition. Haller and Rebić are absent for the hosts.
Updated
Team news!
Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp; Abraham, Hinteregger, Falette, Da Costa; Fernandes, Hasebe, Rode; Gacinovic, Kostic, Jovic
Subs: Ronnow, N’Dicka, De Guzman, Willems, Torro, Chandler, Gonçalo
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Luiz, Emerson; Kanté, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek; Willian, Giroud, Pedro
Subs: Caballero, Zappacosta, Alonso, Barkley, Kovacic, Hazard, Higuaín
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande
Preamble
According to Maurizio Sarri, Chelsea’s defence is in “trouble”, which, frankly, is music to the ears of a Frankfurt side again riding high, fourth in the Bundesliga after reaching a European semi-final for the first time since 1980. At the heart of Chelsea’s problems is a dearth of available centre-backs; Antonio Rüdiger has been ruled out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, while Gary Cahill is absent with an achilles problem. David Luiz and Andreas Christensen are set to start in the centre of defence, while César Azpilicueta has trained there “just in case”. If only Sarri could call on Branislav Ivanovic, the hero when Chelsea last lifted the Europa League trophy six years ago in Amsterdam. Sarri, though, has made it clear his team is prioritising a top-four finish over winning this competition, when Ivanovic snatched victory after Fernando Torres opened the scoring.
But if Chelsea, who drew at Old Trafford on Sunday and are yet to taste defeat in the Europa League this season – record victory then they will fancy their chances of reaching another final. Frankfurt are also missing key personnel – the forwards Sébastian Haller and Ante Rebić through injury and suspension respectively – but head coach Adi Hütter can at least call on Luka Jovic, one of the hottest strikers on the continent. “Most of our players are playing their first European season,” Hütter said. “But we’ve been brave and deserve to be here. On a special day, we can hurt even a special opponent.”
Kick-off: 8pm (BST)