In a wide-ranging and frank interview with Le Parisien, Chelsea's Eden Hazard admits ahead of the Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain his performance this season has been a far cry from last year's form.
The 2014/15 Premier League player of the year, perhaps more interestingly, also openly talks of a possible departure from Chelsea.
Hazard, 25, was the central figure in Chelsea’s title charge last season. This year, however, he has been practically invisible. His 14 league goals and nine assists of a year ago, as he started all 38 Premier League matches for the London club, have translated into a paltry two assists with not a single goal in 23 appearances this season, five of those as a substitute.
Hazard sounds a note of disenchantment at Chelsea in his interview with Le Parisien.
“It is not good at all,” he says of his play this year, adding that, “I am no longer decisive for the team,” and that he is “very far from expectations”.
Hazard continues: “I managed to impose myself very quickly,” upon arriving in the Premier League. But, “in recent months I have been defeated”.
That, naturally, led to talk of his future. “Everything is possible, yes,” he said directly, asked about whether he might want to leave Chelsea this summer.
He said, “I do not know,” where he will be playing next season, as well.
Then, specifically asked about Champions League last-16 opponents Paris Saint-Germain, the native of French-speaking Wallonia in Belgium says: “It is difficult to say no to PSG, as to all teams capable of winning the Champions League.
“PSG are part of this category.”
Read more: Zlatan Ibrahimovic still the key to PSG bridging the Champions League gap, writes Ian Hawkey
He was also in the interview full of praise for the Ligue 1 champions, saying they are now "the level of Barca or Real in Spain", and that "it must be recognised that this season, PSG are scary".
“Everyone at Chelsea has said, ‘Oh no, not Paris, not them’,” Hazard said of the Champions League draw.
Also asked about Real Madrid and playing under Zinedine Zidane, and whether that brings "added attraction to Real", Hazard says: "Of course. .. he was my idol when he was a player."
Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink, meanwhile, implied that if Hazard really saw himself as a big player, he would remain in a big league.
“Well, he has a contract that he extended but first he must get fit and show he is a top player and then for Chelsea, which is a top club, he can be of huge value,” Hiddink said, as quoted by Reuters.
“PSG have big targets to win the Champions League and, step by step, they have gathered a reputation and are very serious about becoming one of the biggest teams in Europe, so this challenge, I can understand.
“(But) for me, I think big, big, big players always like to be in the biggest league, which is the Premier League, La Liga and also the Bundesliga.”
Chelsea travel to the Parc des Princes for the first leg against PSG on Tuesday night.
Also see: The National's Transfer Talk page
Liverpool
Liverpool have won their struggle to sign giant Cameroon central defender Joel Matip from Schalke on a free transfer at the end of the season, the Bundesliga outfit confirmed on Monday.
The 24-year-old has made 239 appearances for Schalke since his debut at 18 in November 2009, but sporting director Horst Heldt admitted the club had lost their battle to persuade Matip to stay in Gelsenkirchen.
“We have held extensive discussions with both the player and his agent since May. It became clear very quickly that certain decisive factors meant we would not be able to influence his decision,” Horst told the club website.
Liverpool also announced the arrival of the German-born star who can operate as a midfielder and as centre back who is thought to have signed a four-year deal.
“Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement to sign Cameroon defender Joel Matip,” a statement on the club’s website said.
The player himself said it was a logical career move.
“I never considered a move to another Bundesliga club. Even though the decision wasn’t easy, I am certain that this is the right moment for me to take the next step in my career,” Matip explained.
He also promised to continue to give his all for the fifth-placed Bundesliga club, who are just two points off third place.
“I have always been very proud to play for this fantastic club and I will give my all in the coming months to ensure that we get the most we can out of this season. I owe that to both the fans and my team,” he said.
Matip, who stands at 6ft 5in (1.95m) tall, has been capped 27 times by Cameroon and played at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Liverpool’s interest in Matip has been known since January and the move will see him follow Serbian midfielder Marko Grujic – Jurgen Klopp’s first signing as manager – in joining the Merseyside outfit.
Grujic, recruited in January, immediately returned to former club Red Star Belgrade on loan for the remainder of the season.
*Agence France-Presse
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