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Hazard to Madrid: Belgium star's best goals for Chelsea

Chelsea star Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard's typically brilliant display in Chelsea's 4-1 Europa League final win against Arsenal last week proved to be his last game for the club.

The Belgian forward suggested after the match in Baku he wanted to start a new adventure elsewhere and Real Madrid confirmed on Friday, nine days on from those comments, that an agreement, which is subject to him passing a medical, had been reached with the Blues.

During his seven years at Stamford Bridge, Hazard transformed from a promising talent signed from Lille to one of the Premier League's all-time greats.

Here, we look back at some of the goals that defined the 28-year-old's time at Chelsea and tempted Madrid into paying a reported initial fee of €100millon for his services.

 

Stoke City 0 Chelsea 4 – January 12, 2013

Chelsea were already leading 3-0 when Hazard received the ball in a central area 40 yards from goal. He made light work of turning inside Glenn Whelan, who appeared to be running on rails, and then unleashed a fierce left-footed effort that swerved beyond Asmir Begovic and into the top-left corner.

Chelsea 2 Tottenham 2 – May 2, 2016

There was little for Chelsea fans to cheer in a dismal 2015-16 season that saw them suffer a dramatic fall from grace after clinching the Premier League title in the previous campaign. However, half-time substitute Hazard sent them into raptures when he finished a move he initiated inside his own half by curling a first-time finish into the top-right corner, ending rivals Tottenham's challenge to unlikely champions Leicester City.

Chelsea 3 Arsenal 1 – February 4, 2017

Pouncing on a loose ball in the centre circle, Hazard shuffled past Laurent Koscielny and sent Francis Coquelin spinning as he headed diagonally towards the touchline. Free of the terrier-like Coquelin, the Belgian angled his run towards the box, turned Koscielny inside out and got his shot away before Shkodran Mustafi could get a block in. The victory sent eventual champions Chelsea nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and opened up a 12-point cushion to the third-placed Gunners.

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 2 – September 26, 2018

Hazard looked destined to lose the ball when he shifted away from Jordan Henderson and towards Fabinho, who he turned away from and into Roberto Firmino. However, he slipped a pass to Cesar Azpilicueta between Firmino's legs and followed it out to the right wing. His change of pace and shielding of the ball enabled him to get around Naby Keita and into the box, where he switched direction by nutmegging Alberto Moreno before rifling a stunning finish across Simon Mignolet to seal a late win in the third round of the EFL Cup.

Chelsea 2 West Ham 0 – April 8, 2019

One thing you cannot afford Hazard is space to run into, and West Ham did exactly that in this Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge. He breezed past Mark Noble and proved too quick for the recovering Declan Rice as he surged towards the box. Two sensational, rapid touches saw him evade the challenge of Fabian Balbuena and leave the Paraguayan's centre-back partner Angelo Ogbonna rooted to the spot. Hazard followed it up by stabbing into the bottom-right corner from 12 yards for another sensational solo goal as Ryan Fredericks lunged in from the left.

Chelsea 4 Arsenal 1 – May 29, 2019

While it may not have been a 30-yard screamer or a stunning solo effort, his final Chelsea goal was well-worked and deserves inclusion for its significance in delivering a European trophy. The winger seized upon a loose ball, darted forward and fed Olivier Giroud into the left side of the box. He continued his run and received the Frenchman's chipped pass, sweeping home with aplomb and signing off in style.

 

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