Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said today that he believes his star forward Eden Hazard can score 30-35 goals this season. Then he quickly upped the ante by saying the Belgian could score 40 this term; provided of course he focuses his game on the final third.
The Belgian accomplished a hat trick today, in a 4-1 win over Cardiff City, to give him five in five games. And social media was certainly buzzing over it. Given that it’s a 38 game regular season, he would need to average slightly more than one scoring strike per game to reach 40. The Premier League record, set just last year by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, is 32.
“I thought Hazard was one of the best players in Europe, but now I am changing my mind that he is the best,” Sarri told his post game press conference.
“I think Hazard can improve more. I think that he can spend less energy than now at 50 or 60 metres to the opposite goal.”
Asked for clarification, the Italian elaborated:
“When we have the ball in our half, he touches the ball five or six times, so his actions show he spends a lot of energy and [he] can have more energy in the last 25 metres. I think he can score 30 or 35 goals.”
“I think he can do it. I told him in the last two days because Eden only arrived two days ago. After the international [break], I prefer to give the players one day off. I have spoken to him in the last two days, and yesterday, I told him for me he can score 40 goals. But spend less energy far from the goal and play in the last 25 metres.”
Interesting how Sarri said Hazard might be the best player in Europe. The 27-year-old has been collecting all kinds of high level praise from multiple sources lately. NBC had him atop their Premier League individual power rankings, Darren Fletcher said he requires a double team at all times, and Antonio Rudiger said he’s the second best player in the world right now, behind only Lionel Messi.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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