Hazard puzzled by substitution

Eden Hazard says he "does not know" why Chelsea manager Antonio Conte substituted him during Wednesday's epic 3-3 draw with Roma.

Hazard netted twice as Chelsea came from behind to draw with the Italian side, a result that keeps the Premier League champions top of Champions League Group C, following Atletico Madrid's draw away to Qarabag.

Chelsea were 2-0 up through strikes from David Luiz and Hazard before Aleksandar Kolarov and a brilliant Edin Dzeko volley pulled the visitors level at Stamford Bridge.

Dzeko, who failed to net against Chelsea during his five seasons at Manchester City in the Premier League, made it 3-2 on 70 minutes, before Hazard headed home five minutes later to level the match at 3-3.

But Conte then withdrew the Belgium international in the 80th minute, much to the 2015 Footballer of the Year's surprise.

"I don't know, I think sometimes the manager wants me on the bench at the end of the game," he said. 

"I pushed to the maximum and I have just come back from the injury so he made his choice."

Conte admits his decision to deploy Luiz in midfield meant Chelsea "totally lost their style of football". 

The Blues are struggling for bodies in midfield, with N'Golo Kante out until November with a hamstring injury and new signing Danny Drinkwater also sidelined with a calf injury.

"I didn't like the type of football we did for a lot of the game, but it’s right to take the responsibility for this," the former Juventus and Italy manager said.

"I tried on one hand to protect my team, to become more solid and to move our central defender into midfield. On the other hand we lost totally our style of football."

You can watch all of Chelsea’s Champions League campaign on the eir Sport package. Antonio Conte’s side will face Atletico Madrid, Qarabag and Roma in Group C. The Premier League champions' game against Serie A side Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday, 31 October is live on the eir Sport platform [kick off 7.45pm]

Image: Getty Images/ Dan Mullan

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