Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League in 2012 and one of their Champions League hero’s Juan Mata insists that Eden Hazard is the best player he has ever played in the Premier League. Mata arrived at Chelsea one year before Eden did and he was a part of Chelsea’s most successful season.
The playmaker played together with Hazard for 18 months where they won the Europa League during that time. After Jose Mourinho arrived in the summer of 2013 for his second stint at Chelsea, the Spanish playmaker did not suit the style of play of Mourinho’s liking. In January 2014, the two times Chelsea’s player of the year was sold to rivals Manchester United.
What Mata Said?
“The best Premier League player… I mean, I used to love to play with, and against, Eden Hazard,” Mata told the Manchester United official website in his recent interview.
“For me, for many years, he was the best in the league. He could win games by himself. I used to train with him and I know how good he can be.”
There were many greats in the list of the players Mata shared his dressing room within England. The likes of Wayne Rooney, David De Gea from his current club Manchester United and Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry from his former club.
Mata addresses that Hazard’s current season does not justify his class and he has many more to offer. He is a much better player than what has been seen at the Bernabeu so far. Further, the Spaniard added that things will change soon.
“He has been very unlucky in his time with Real Madrid with some injuries, but I am sure he will show his real level when he’s fit to do that and he’s not injured.”
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has praised hazard and insists that it is only a matter of time before the Belgian finally shows what he is. Hazard has scored only once in his 15 appearances for his new club and took five games to open his scoring. That record is the second-worst start for a galactic, Michel Owen being the first who took seven games to score his first for Real Madrid.
What Hazard Said Back In November?
“I was not good, simply,” Hazard admitted in November.
He further added, “I said to myself ‘start playing well.’ The first two months, in what I was proposing, it was not enough. I thought I can do better.”
“I do not do everything right, but I try. The first two months, I said to myself ‘you are new, be simple’. Too many passes, people waited for me to dribble.”
Current Real Madrid boss Zidane took three games to give a debut to Hazard because of his over-weight. Despite his slow start, hazard came back with a brilliant showing against Eiber in a 4-0 victory. An ankle injury kept him out for 16 games. Against Celta, his performance for 73 minutes earned him a standing ovation from the Bernabeu crowd.
The coronavirus outbreak has stopped the football season across Europe. It’s unfortunate that Hazard has to wait to prove his worth to the Real fans until the season resumes.
