Hazard to miss start of Chelsea title defense after surgery

In this file photo, Chelsea’s Eden Hazard scores the opening goal ahead of Southampton’s Oriol Romeu during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Southampton at Stamford Bridge stadium in London. Hazard will miss the start of Chelsea’s Premier League title defense after undergoing ankle surgery on Monday, June 5, 2017 and being ruled out for at least three months. Ap

LONDON — Eden Hazard will miss the start of Chelsea’s English Premier League defense after ankle surgery on Monday and being ruled out for at least three months.

Hazard broke his right ankle on Sunday while training with Belgium ahead of a pair of international fixtures.

“Everything went well with my ankle operation, now I start the road to recovery!” Hazard wrote on Twitter from a hospital alongside a picture of his heavily bandaged right ankle. “I will be stronger. Thank you for your support!!”

The English season starts in two months, with Chelsea playing Arsenal in the Community Shield.

“He is expected to return to training in approximately three months,” Chelsea said.