Jose Mourinho has responded to Eden Hazard’s criticisms of Chelsea’s performance in their 3-1 Champion’s League defeat to Atletico Madrid in particularly blunt fashion.
Hazard stated on French TV that Chelsea “are not made to play football, we are good on the counter-attack”. adding: “Often, I’m asked to do it all by myself and it’s not easy.”
However, Chelsea boss Mourinho has shot down Hazard after listening to a transcript of the interview, questioning the Belgium winger’s commitment to the team.
Mourinho stated that Hazard’s comments “were normal from players like him”. He continued: “He’s not the kind of player ready to sacrifice himself 100 per cent for the team and his mates. Normally you get this kind of comment from players like him: from players who can’t resolve a problem like we had with the first goal.”
Chelsea came undone from Atletico’s stellar counter-attacking play, even after Fernando Torres had put his side ahead just before the half-time interval.
Mourinho went on to suggest Hazard was partially to blame for Atletico’s first goal, saying: “Against Atletico in Madrid, Willian played on the left side and Ashley Cole was protected all game. Against Liverpool, Andre Schurrle played on the left and a dangerous player like Glen Johnson was completely under control. Eden is the kind of player who is not so mentally ready to look back at his left-back and live his life for him. If you see Atletico’s first goal, you understand where the mistake was and why we conceded that goal.” He concluded that “when the comments come from a player like Eden, it’s normal.”
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