Under fire Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has receieved a backing from Eden Hazard. The Belgium Captain who is a target for Real Madrid praised Sarri for his football philosophy. Sunday’s 6-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City has seen many question whether Sarri is the right man to take Chelsea forward.
Despite a record-breaking start to the season, the Stamford Bridge outfit now sit sixth in the Premier League table having lost three of their last four league matches. Sarri has been outspoken in his criticism of his team, claiming they are difficult to motivate, with Goal understanding the Chelsea squad have now begun to question the Italian’s methods.
Hazard, though, is content with how Sarri has looked to coach the team since his arrival at the start of the season, suggesting that the style of football he is now playing is the best since he arrived in England. “All the managers I’ve played for have given me something,” he told Chelsea’s official website. “From when I started with Claude Puel at Lille, to now with Maurizio Sarri. They all see football in different ways which is why I’m the player I am.
“They have all given me important advice. Jose Mourinho was special, but the way Sarri and [former Lille manager Rudi] Garcia like to play is more like my philosophy of football. They’ve all given me a lot.” Hazard himself has faced a number of reports regarding his future over the past 12 months, with the 28-year-old continually linked with a move away from Chelsea.
It is understood that Hazard is hopeful of completing a move to Real Madrid this summer in a deal likely to be worth in excess of £100 million ($130m), with the player himself suggesting recently he has made a final decision on his future. One thing is for certain, though, and that is that Hazard remains a key figure for Belgium having helped them finish third at the 2018 World Cup.
And he cites his display in the Red Devils’ quarter-final victory over Brazil as the best of his career despite him failing to play a direct role in any of the goals scored by Roberto Martinez’s side. “I think the win against Brazil in the quarter-finals was the best performance of my career,” he said. “But what I would like to say about that game is I didn’t score or make an assist, because people are always talking about me scoring, but we played as a team and to beat Brazil is always hard.
“It’s a huge country and they’ve won five World Cups but our whole team played a fantastic game and those memories will stay with me forever.” Hazard and Chelsea will return to action on Thursday as they visit Malmo in the Europa League last 32 before hosting Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday