Despite missed penalty, Hazard is Mourinho’s ‘best player’

MARIBOR: Manager Jose Mourinho singled Eden Hazard out for special praise after Chelsea rallied from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Group G rivals Maribor in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Premier League leaders, unbeaten in 16 matches in total this season, were lacklustre in the first half and a shock appeared to be on the cards when Agim Ibraimi curled in a brilliant leftfoot shot for the Slovenians after 50 minutes.

Unmarked teenager Luka Zahovic almost made it 2-0 when he blazed the ball over the bar from six metres 10 minutes later and that signalled a Hazard-inspired onslaught from Chelsea.

Nemanja Matic tapped in the equaliser after 73 minutes and the Londoners went on to create a series of chances in the closing stages including a rare missed penalty from Hazard after yet another mazy dribble from the Belgium winger.

“For me Eden Hazard was fantastic,” Mourinho told Sky Sports television after Chelsea cemented their place at the top of the group with eight points from four matches.

“He may have missed a penalty but he was still by far the best player in my team.”

Mourinho was so unhappy with his team’s display in the first 45 minutes that he made two changes at halftime, bringing on Diego Costa and Oscar for Andre Schuerrle and Willian.

“In the first half we weren’t good,” he said. “We played very slow with no intensity or creativity, it was easy for Maribor to control the game.