Champions League 17/18: Chelsea draw Barcelona - Can this be Eden Hazard's coming of age?

What's the story?

We all had sensed it, did we not? As soon as Chelsea finished runners-up in their Champions League group, many were hoping to see the latest installment of the mouthwatering clash between themselves and La Liga giants Barcelona.

After Monday's draw, we have not come away disappointed with the result. Premier League's defending champions have been drawn against Barça in the last-16.

There will be plenty of subplots to this two-legged affair, including Lionel Messi hoping to break his goalscoring drought against the west Londoners and an intriguing midfield battle between N'Golo Kanté and Sergio Busquets.

But perhaps more important than most surrounds Chelsea's talisman Eden Hazard. Ever since his £32m move from Ligue 1 side Lille in the summer of 2012, he has shown flashes of his individual brilliance and asserted himself as one of the club's best players in recent history by doing so.

With that being said, inconsistency has always been his main problem. If he's spectacular in one season, he'll either struggle or prove unable to maintain the same heights afterwards.

Ballon d'Or in distant but attainable sight

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have won the last 10 Ballon d'Ors, with five each between the pair. No-one else has even come close to winning it since Kaka did back in 2007.

There's no question that Hazard has the talent to become the world's best player and unsurprisingly, he leads the chasing pack in contention to begin a new era when the aforementioned duo's dominance finally fades.

In order to get closer and earn the plaudits when it matters most, he needs to stamp his authority on an important game. What bigger stage than a Champions League knockout fixture against Barcelona, when his side needs his excellence to shine through?

Neymar took steps to gradually move out of Messi's shadow and did his utmost to show the world his world-class quality last season - inspiring an underwhelming Barcelona to a famous comeback during last year's victory against Paris-Saint Germain.

Ronaldo's towering header which helped United sink Chelsea in the 2008 CL final helped propel him towards his first accolade for the world's best, while Messi has excelled in all competitions since making his debut back in 2004.

In order to reach that level, he will need to show the hunger and desire that has often been seemingly missing from him. As Antonio Conte said, he will have to "light a sacred fire inside him" to develop the characteristics which will prove his quality above all others.

In the past...

80 goals in 269 matches alongside 69 assists across all competitions during five-and-a-half seasons is an impressive return for someone who has predominantly played out on the wings.

He lead the Blues to Premier League success last season, with 16 goals and five assists, but the one major thing which separates himself from legendary figures is the ability to replicate this type of form against the world's best - he has thus far struggled to inspire Chelsea beyond exits at the semi-final stage among Europe's elite.

Author's take

This represents Hazard's best chance to announce himself to the world, that he has well and truly arrived and is prepared to take the mantle of world's best player. If he can prevail against one of the world's greatest ever players while inspiring Chelsea to an unlikely victory over the two legs, it will help to lay the foundation for him being mentioned in the same breath as the two true superstars of this modern era.

It's something he can do, but whether he will be able to remains to be seen.