Olivier Giroud says he swore when first seeing “magician” Eden Hazard in training at Chelsea.
The striker left Arsenal for Stamford Bridge during the January transfer window, playing back-up to Alvaro Morata up front.Hazard is enjoyed the best form of his Chelsea career, scoring eight goals and adding four assists so far this season to attract further interest from the likes of Real Madrid.
Giroud was stunned by Hazard when first seeing the Belgian in action at Cobham and soon learned to adapt to style to suit his new team-mate.
He told Le Figaro: “When I saw Eden Hazard in training for my first session at Chelsea, I said to myself: ‘F***, it’s hard to take the ball off him!’
“Sometimes there are two or three players around him and he still manages to get out in tight spaces. He’s a magician, he’s impressive.
“Now I’ve started to learn his style I give him space. It’s better for him and for me.”
The French international has just the one goal at domestic level so far this season, and one for the national side scored back in September.Both he and Morata have struggled for goals of late, though the latter has picked things up a little in recent weeks.While keen on more playing time, Giroud batted away any suggestion of leaving in January.
“I feel like it is as if we are where we were several months ago when I was being asked the same questions before the World Cup,” he said to Telefoot.
“Today, I am calm, happy with this World Cup title. I relativise a lot of things.
“I don’t need to put myself under more pressure than that. Of course, I am a competitor and I would like more playing time.”
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