Hazard rivals Messi but concerns over Costa - five talking points from Chelsea's win over Barcelona

Chelsea prepared for their Community Shield clash with Arsenal with a victory over Barcelona on penalties on Wednesday morning.

The 2-2 draw was settled by a shoot-out but was an enthralling pre-season game, littered with moments of quality from both sides.

The game served up plenty for both Jose Mourinho and Luis Enrique to ponder ahead of the start of the season.
Much of the preamble to this game was dominated by Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho, and an exchange of words over transfer spending ahead of their Community Shield meeting this weekend.

Mourinho was not at Chelsea when Roman Abramovich stumped up a fee in excess of £35 million to land Eden Hazard, but he will be more glad than most that the Russian did.

Prior to this game, Wenger suggested Hazard is not yet in the category of Lionel Messi, who was missing from proceedings in Maryland, or Cristiano Ronaldo. The Belgian is not yet consistent enough, the Arsenal boss said.

But his incredible solo effort against Barcelona was every bit a goal worthy of Messi, picking the ball up in the opposition half before darting through three players and beating Marc-Andre ter Stegen with a fine finish.

Mourinho has called for more protection for Hazard and he was left wincing here when he skipped beyond Sergio Busquets, only for the Barca man to catch him on the ankle, but when you move at the pace of the Belgian, it sometimes seems harsh to blame the opposition.

On this stage, the quality of the goal could soon be forgotten. Now it is for Hazard to prove to Wenger this season that he deserves to be considered alongside Messi and Ronaldo.
Diego Costa was looking sharp in the early stages against Barcelona, getting in some good positions and running at and taking on defenders from deep.

But it was a familiar story for the striker when, around the hour mark, he sat down on the pitch and signalled to be brought off with what appeared to be another injury problem.

In a more ominous sign, Costa disappeared straight down the tunnel once he had been replaced by Loic Remy.

Hamstring problems blighted an otherwise successful season for Costa last season, and the Chelsea medical staff will now be closely monitoring the striker's progress in the build-up to the opening day of the Premier League season, which is now less than two weeks away.