Eden Hazard says he is reaping the benefits of playing possession-based football encouraged by new manager Maurizio Sarri compared to former managers Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
Chelsea have started the Premier League season fantastically, playing an exciting and attacking brand of football under the former Napoli boss.
The Belgian was eased into action following his impressive performances for his country at last summer’s World Cup but already has two goals and two assists in four outings.
He was a substitute in Chelsea’s first two matches of the season, but was a key part in the win over Arsenal and then started and scored against Newcastle and Eddie Howe’s side. The playmaker was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus but he was delighted to be playing under the tutelage of his new head coach.
Asked if he is enjoyed Chelsea’s new style, Hazard told the club’s official website: “Of course, I like to have the ball. Not in my own half, but in the last 30 metres,” Hazard told Chelsea TV.
“I like this type of game. It’s completely different than Antonio Conte or (Jose) Mourinho before. We have more ball so for me it’s not bad.”
He also praised the impact new signings Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic have had on the side. “I think the big difference is we bring in two players, Jorginho and Kovacic, and they are completely different,” the Belgian continued. “Of course, they want to keep the ball, we just try to keep the ball more often, and then when we have the chance to score we just need to score. But when we have more of the ball we can have more danger.