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Eden Hazard faces a fight to win back his Chelsea place after becoming the first big-name star to fall foul of Jose Mourinho.

The £32million Belgian winger was dropped from Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League romp past Schalke for missing training on Monday after a night out in France.

Two goals from Samuel Eto'o and a third from substitute Demba Ba leave the Blues needing just a point from their last two group games to reach the knockout stages.

But Mourinho confirmed afterwards that 22-year-old Hazard had been axed - and heaped praise on his replacement Willian.

The Chelsea boss said: "I don't want to lie. He [Hazard] is not injured.

"I prefer to say that Willian and Andre Schurrle made fantastic work for us. We have a big squad, we have players with quality, players who sometimes are frustrated because they are not first options but when they are chosen they do so well."

Mourinho refused to confirm that Hazard - very much a regular starter this season - would actually be back in the team for Saturday's Premier League game against West Brom.

He went on: "We know his talent, he will be on the bench or playing, but he will be in the squad for sure."

Hazard went back to former club Lille on Sunday night for a reunion with his old team-mates, and watched their win over Monaco.

But he missed the Eurostar on Monday in his bid to return to Chelsea's Cobham HQ in time for training.

Mourinho said: "He forgot the time. That's the end of story. He's a kid. Kids make mistakes and fathers have to be clever in the way that they educate their sons.

"He didn't play. He wanted to play. He was sad because he didn't play. We won without him.

"On Saturday, he is back. So, end of story."

This win leaves Mourinho's men top of Group E ahead of games against Basel away and Steaua Bucharest at home.

The Special One admitted matchwinner Eto'o - with whom he lifted the Champions League, Italian Cup and Serie A title in 2010 when at Inter Milan - was one of his favourite players.

He said: "My favourite players are the players who win matches for me, not the ones who lose matches for me. Samuel worked with me in the best season of my career.

"We won everything.

"So he's in a good position."