Next on Hiddink’s rejuvenation list? Eden Hazard
Guus Hiddink’s arrival as Chelsea manager has sparked a drastic improvement in a number of the team’s attacking stars.
Diego Costa, Oscar, Cesc Fabregas, even Pedro Rodriguez. All look like different players now that Jose Mourinho is no longer in charge at Stamford Bridge.
So when is Eden Hazard going to look good? Because the slump in form of the Belgium winger is one of the mysteries of the season.
Hazard was voted English soccer’s player of the year for the 2014-15 season by both his peers and writers, after scoring 19 goals and being arguably Chelsea’s standout player in its run to the Premier League and League Cup titles.
Many felt he would make the step up to challenge Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the game’s top star.
Fast forward to this season and Hazard is no longer assured of even being in the team heading into Sunday’s FA Cup match against Manchester City, which is the headline fixture of the fifth round.
Hazard has completed 90 minutes just once in 2016 and has scored only one club goal all season — a sympathy penalty in a big win over MK Dons in the FA Cup fourth round.
Already testing the patience of Chelsea fans with his performances, Hazard didn’t do himself any favours this week by telling French newspaper Le Parisien, ahead of a Champions League game against Paris SaintGerman, that it would be “difficult to say no to” PSG or any other team capable of winning the Champions League. Is he eyeing a big move for next season already?
Hazard was substituted against PSG after another substandard display and may even lose his place to Oscar against City for the first high-profile match in the FA Cup this season.
Chelsea is looking to win the world’s oldest club knockout competition for the fifth time in the last 10 years and is in better form than City, having lost only once — 2-1 against PSG — in 12 games since Hiddink took over.
City, meanwhile, has lost its last two games, at home against title rivals in the Premier League, and has injury problems in midfield. Manager Manuel Pellegrini may also have one eye on next week, when City resumes its Champions League campaign with a trip to Dynamo Kyiv in the last 16, and could play a weakened team at Stamford Bridge.
There has been a shortage of shocks in this season’s FA Cup, meaning most of the country’s big teams are still involved.