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Maurizio Sarri Claims Eden Hazard Is The Best Player In Europe

Maurizio Sarri Claims Eden Hazard Is The Best Player In Europe

The Chelsea forward scored a hat-trick against Cardiff City and his boss wants him to get 30-35 goals this season.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Eden Hazard's excellent start to his season continued on Saturday with his hat-trick against Cardiff City. That has led Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri to claim the Belgian is the best player in Europe.

Eden Hazard had a pretty good summer with Belgium as he helped them to third in the World Cup with three goals and two assists as they beat Brazil on the way to a semi-final loss against eventual winners France.

He got an extended holiday from new Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri starting the first couple of games on the bench as the Blues kicked off the Premier League season.

That though hasn't stopped him making a flying start to the season in England with him scoring five goals in five games, helped by his hat-trick at the weekend against Cardiff City, whilst also setting his teammates up for two goals.

Those three goals at the weekend, helping the Blues to a 4-1 win over Cardiff after they went behind and taking them to the top of the table, led his manager to heap huge praise on the forward with Sarri saying:

"I thought he [Hazard] was one of the best players in Europe, but now I change my mind that he is the best."

Hazard celebrates his first this weekend. Image: PA Images
Hazard celebrates his first this weekend. Image: PA Images

It's extremely high praise but it seems like it might be a little over the top, especially as Hazard wasn't able to beat players in Europe to crown of best player in the Premier League last season or at the World Cup.

You'd have to make a seriously good argument to have Hazard ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo whilst the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Mo Salah, Luka Modric, Kylian Mbappe and Gareth Bale would make a decent argument to be ahead of Hazard too.

Modric alongside Mbappe. Image: PA
Modric alongside Mbappe. Image: PA

Sarri also challenged the former Lille player to score more goals than he's ever scored before adding, "I think Hazard can improve more. I think that he can spend less energy than now at 50 or 60 metres to the opposition's goal.

"When we have the ball in our half and he touches the ball five or six times, it shows he spends a lot of energy and can have more energy in the last 25 metres.

"He can score 30 or 35 goals."

Is Hazard really the best in Europe or even the best European?

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Eden Hazard, Chelsea, Lionel Messi, Premier League, Champions League, Cardiff City, Cristiano Ronaldo