Cesar Azpilicueta assumed the captain's armband on Thursday night but Maurizio Sarri still will not confirm his permanent Chelsea skipper. Azpilicueta began on the substitutes' bench at PAOK, but came on and took the captaincy from Willian in the second half as Chelsea began their Europa League campaign with a 1-0 win in Greece.

With Gary Cahill, skipper under Sarri's predecessor Antonio Conte, out of favour and ready to leave in January if his exile continues, there is intrigue over the captaincy — although not from Sarri who barely considers the matter important.