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Antonio Conte believes Eden Hazard has the perfect platform to showcase his undoubted quality now we are back involved in the Champions League.
Hazard, making only his second start of the season, was outstanding during the midweek win over Atletico Madrid and is now back to full fitness having been gradually eased into action following the ankle injury which forced him to miss our opening three matches.
The attacker was a pivotal figure in our Premier League title triumph last time around and Conte, who knows having a fit and firing Hazard in the team will increase our chances of further success this season, explained why now is the time for the 26-year-old to shine.
‘Eden is a top player and I think this season he has a big opportunity because we are playing in the Champions League and, together with the Premier League, it’s important to show you are a top player and you can compete to be the best,’ said the Blues boss.
‘This season is very important for Eden. Now I’m pleased because after a bad injury he’s fit and in good form. His season is starting and it started with a big game, against Atletico Madrid, and he has to show he deserves to stay at the top with the best.
‘Last season he performed very well and played with consistency. Usually, during a season you are up and down, but he wasn’t. He now must show this again, but also in the Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
‘For every coach our task is to improve our players and put them in the best condition to exploit their talent and improve their weaknesses. Eden is a young player and he has a lot of room to show he can be competitive to be the best in the world.’
Conte went on to explain what he demands personally from a player who has been blessed with such natural ability.
‘In every game he finds a way to be decisive, to score or make an assist for his team-mates, I love this about him and that’s what I ask of him,’ said the Italian. We need a player with his talent and it’s important for a coach to ask him to be decisive. God gave him this talent and he must exploit it. It’s my job to push him to be decisive.
‘I think that sometimes with Eden, if he scores one goal he’s happy, and if there is another situation he prefers to make an assist, not to score a second. With Ronaldo, he scores one goal and wants to score twice, three times, the same with Messi.
‘I don’t think selfish is the right word because I don’t like selfish players. I like players who think for the team, not themselves. Eden is not selfish, he’s a player who loves to play football, he enjoys playing football. I like his behaviour and his attitude but in every game he must be decisive.
‘For example, against Atletico Madrid he was important because he went one against one with the defender, crossed the ball and Alvaro headed it in the goal. In every game he must be important and try to make chances to score or get assists for our players.’
It was a good week in the Champions League for English clubs with all, bar Liverpool, winning. Conte thinks results in the competition’s early stages have highlighted the quality of the Premier League.
‘In the Champions League I think every English team is showing it’s very difficult to play against Man City, Man United, ourselves, Liverpool and Tottenham,’ said the Italian. ‘It shows me the level of our league is very high.
‘This league is very difficult and we have to see in the future, when a lot of fixtures are starting to come, how we respond in the Champions League. In the past it was very difficult when you arrive in the quarter-finals or semi-finals and now every team is showing they are very strong.’
Chelsea FC