CHELSEA manager Antonio Conte gave short shrift to media reports linking Eden Hazard with a move to Real Madrid and said the midfielder has recovered from a calf injury to play in Saturday's Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
Hazard has been a key part of Chelsea's title push this season, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists, and the Belgian's sparkling form has sparked interest from Real Madrid.
"The only thing that I can say to Eden is just to play. We are happy with him. He is happy with us," Conte told reporters.
"This (rumours about Real) is part of the game, to create difficulty in the mind of the player."
The 26-year-old Hazard missed Chelsea's game against Stoke City this month and Belgium's World Cup qualifier against Greece due to a calf injury.
"I'm confident (he'll be fit), not just to play but to play very good," Conte said.
Chelsea are 10 points clear at the top of the table with 10 games left, but Conte is not taking the remaining fixtures for granted.
"At this time of the season, there are a lot of difficulties to overcome. There are 10 games to go and our opponents don't want to accept that Chelsea are champions," the 47-year-old Italian added.
Chelsea eked out a narrow 1-0 win over Crystal Palace in the reverse fixture in December and Conte expects another tough encounter.
"I remember the game against them earlier this season very well. We must pay great attention as in the last three games they won and in the last few games they are sixth (on form)."
Captain John Terry could make a league appearance for the first time since November as Conte said the 36-year-old defender had trained with the team this week.
Reuters
Sat Apr 01 2017

Eden Hazard has a shot at goal during the FA Cup Quarter Final between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, March 13, 2017. REUTERS / Livepic

China promises Latin America 'trustworthy' ties as Trump lays out demands
Beijing looks to improve its foothold in a region historically under the US sphere of influence.

Major risks loom as Trump upends US Russia policy
Washington's approach changes dramatically with the initial meeting between US and Russian negotiators.

Pope Francis has double pneumonia, complicating his treatment, Vatican says
Doctors say a polymicrobial infection occurs when two or more micro-organisms are involved and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

Philippines' VP Duterte challenges impeachment before Supreme Court
Sara Duterte makes her first legal move to fight the case that could lead to her removal and lead to a lifetime ban from public office.

Motor racing - Hamilton steps out in red at unprecedented 10 team F1 launch
I feel so full of life, so much energy, because everything's new and I'm just focused on what is up ahead, Hamilton says.

UAE tells US' Rubio it rejects displacement of Palestinians
The UAE's stance matters as its one of four Arab nations that normalised ties with Israel during Trumps first term.

Taylor Swift wins recording artist of the year crown for fifth time
The megastar's "The Tortured Poets Department" record also topped four IFPI charts, the IFPI says.

More than $50 billion needed to rebuild Gaza, World Bank joint assessment says
Years of rebuilding work, including clearing unexploded ordinance and millions of tonnes of rubble lie ahead.

Malaysia’s AI data centre development to be impacted by recent US restrictions - Liew
Liew Chin Tong says the restrictions would not affect the development of the domestic data centre ecosystem as a whole.

Sweden's top court rejects Greta Thunberg lawsuit on climate action
A court cannot decide that the parliament or the government must take any specific action, the Supreme Court says.
![[COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream [COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-10/51728873693_EMIR.jpg)
[COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream
The Gaza plan is dangerous and counter-productive as it's merely another recipe for regional instability.

Sivasangari eyes new career-high in world rankings
After climbing to a career-best world number seven, national women's squash ace S. Sivasangari is determined to keep rising.

Outburst against Steven Sim: DAP will probe if there's a complaint - Loke
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke says the disciplinary committee has not received any reports related to the incident so far.

US judge will not block Elon Musk from firing federal workers, accessing data
The case raises questions about Musk's apparent unchecked authority as a top deputy to President Donald Trump.

Dozens of false killer whales stranded on remote Australian beach
Rescue crews trying to save the majority of the large dolphins that survived the ordeal, according to authorities.

Trump restricts AP access over Gulf of Mexico issue
The AP, citing editorial standards, says it would continue to use the gulf's established name.

China to fly back 200 nationals rescued from Myanmar scam centres, Thai official says
This is part of a multinational effort to crack down on illegal online operations run from the region.

Somber Tiger Woods back in action in TGL loss to New York GC
Tiger Woods makes his first start since the death of his mother when he competed in a TGL match at Palm Beach Gardens.

Brazil's ex-President Bolsonaro charged in alleged coup plot
A total of 34 people were charged, including several military officials.

Trump and Musk target tax enforcers, rocket scientists, bank regulators for job cuts
Concerns grow over transparency, oversight, and Musk's influence on government operations.