Breaking News : Chelsea main man Eden Hazard gets SLAMMED for this action and his being compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for not doing the same ... Is it Pride or Football Tactics??

The Belgium international didn’t travel with the Blues’ contingent for their Europa League group stage opener as Willian’s goal gave Maurizio Sarri’s side a 1-0 triumph.

Sarri admitted to reporters in Thessaloniki ahead of the match: “He told me after [playing for] the national team [earlier this month] and the match against Cardiff he was a little bit tired, so I thought it was better to stay at Cobham, to have training and rest."

That was after netting a hat-trick against Cardiff at the weekend with Hazard having started the season strongly with five goals and two assists in five matches for top-of-the-table Chelsea.

But former player and manager Stuart Pearce insists Hazard is wrong to have asked for a rest because Barcelona ace Lionel Messi and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo play every game.


The 27-year-old, who was linked with a transfer to Real Madrid in the summer, has been compared to both of the two European superstars with Sarri saying after Cardiff that Hazard is possibly the best player in Europe.

And Pearce suggested that in order for Hazard to truly be considered up there with Messi and Ronaldo then he cannot sit out of matches.

Asked if it was important Hazard was rested and whether he believed in resting players, Pearce told The Debate on Sky Sports: “No I don’t.

“Let’s just have this out straight away - I look at a game like this, you never know when your next injury is coming.


Eden Hazard was not in Greece with his Chelsea team-mates (Image: GETTY)

Eden Hazard told his manager he was tired (Image: GETTY)

Hazard has been compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo recently (Image: GETTY)
“All of a sudden, ‘I’ll rest, I’ll rest’ and then you cop an injury and you’re out for three months. It happens to us all.

“You play the game long enough, you’ll cop an injury.

“[Also] You never know when your form is going to go. If I got a hat-trick last Saturday I’d want to be playing in the next game.

“If the manager calls him aside and says ‘You know what I’m changing the team anyway, I’m not taking you all the way to PAOK, you can stay at home’ then I can understand that.

September 21, 2018 Sports