Maurizio Sarri reveals how he motivates Hazard to score goals
What's the story?
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has revealed what he does to stimulate his star man Eden Hazard to score goals and line up consistent performances. According to the Italian mastermind, the Belgian skipper is one of the easier players to handle. Letting Hazard play with freedom is what brings the best out of him.
In case you didn't know...
After a dismal 2017/18 season and a fantastic World Cup, Hazard was heavily linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge to complete a 'dream' switch to Real Madrid. However, upon speaking to Chelsea's hierarchy and new boss Sarri, he chose to stay at West London.
As expected, the 27-year-old was expected to flourish in the expansive, high-octane, possession-based system Sarri employs. He has now scored seven in eight appearances this season and currently leads the PL Golden Boot chart.
The heart of the matter
It almost seems like there's no stopping him at the moment. Sarri, who has been pleasantly surprised with his side's stunning start, has praised Hazard's heroics.
With a herculean 40-goal target provided to Hazard for the season, the former Napoli boss seems to have brought out the best in his left-winger. He said:
"It is easy to stimulate Hazard - as long as you let him have fun, he's very easy, it didn't need strategies from me. He doesn't get influenced by the media and what happens around him. As long as he's having fun and he plays. And he loves playing football."
Speaking of room for improvement, he continued:
"But you need important objectives for important players. And he can improve if he becomes a little bit more aggressive and gives the best of himself."
Video
Here's a clear indication of how well Hazard has started the 2018/19 campaign. A treat to the eyes, indeed.
What's next?
Hazard and Chelsea will be aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they travel to Southampton later today.