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Mourinho criticizes Hazard following provocative comments

By on May 2, 2014

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has responded to provocative comments from Blues winger Eden Hazard by criticizing the player’s mentality, claiming that Hazard is not the kind of player who will “sacrifice himself 100% for the team”.  And while Mourinho shut down any speculation that Chelsea might sell the Belgian international to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, he hardly complimented Hazard when responding to his player’s comments criticizing Chelsea’s style of play under Mourinho.

Hazard spoke to French television after being denounced himself for perhaps being at fault for Atletico Madrid’s crucial goal to help them beat Chelsea, in failing to track back to stop Juanfran from scoring one of Atletico’s three goals that sent them into the Champions League final, saying Chelsea “isn’t built to play [expansive] football, but is good on the counterattack.”

The 23-year-old is not known to have an unstable relationship with Mourinho, but the Portuguese manager’s reply certainly indicated they don’t have an entirely harmonious one, despite Hazard scoring 17 goals so far this season and proving a critical part of Chelsea’s starting lineup.  Mourinho said: “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. Against Atlético in Madrid, Willian played on the left side and Ashley Cole was protected all game. Against Liverpool, [Andre] Schürrle 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 leave his life for him. If you see Atlético’s first goal, you understand where the mistake was and why we conceded that goal. The perfect team at the top level cannot make this kind of mistake. Eden’s not the kind of player ready to sacrifice himself 100% for the team and his team-mates. I’m not happy [a player doesn’t sacrifice himself], and I’ve spoken all season and I’ve tried to improve him. But at the same time, his comments were not critical.”

However, Mourinho made clear he intended to hold onto the ever-growing talent Hazard is.  Hazard has appeared in 33 of Chelsea’s 35 league matches so far this season, and played a direct part in 21 of the club’s goals.  “He’s had a good season, and made an improvement,” the 51-year-old said. “He was brought to a different level of performance and understanding of the game. Remember the performance at Manchester City, which was a very complete performance. So I have no problem with him. He’s a young guy. His evolution was fine. Does he still make mistakes? Of course he still makes mistakes. But he understands. It was the first time in his life he’d played a Champions League semi-final. It’s a career that’s he’s just started.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.