Chelsea Euro bid too big a hurdle: Hazard
EDEN Hazard feels it was always going to prove difficult for Chelsea to mount a successful Premier League title defence on their return to Europe.
Blues boss Antonio Conte has found his position under scrutiny in the wake of successive three-goal defeats, with Monday’s 4-1 loss at Watford leaving them 19 points behind leaders Manchester City.
The players are set to return to training at Cobham today after three days off as focus switches to Monday’s league visit of West Brom to Stamford Bridge.
Belgium midfielder Hazard ac- cepts it has been a testing season for the Blues, who nevertheless remain in the top four of the Premier League, are through to the FA Cup fifth round and will soon face Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 tie.
“I think the Premier League is difficult. It is hard to win every year,” Hazard said.
“Last year we didn’t have the Champions League. This year we have less time to be ready for the games. Every week there are three games.”
Despite Chelsea’s inconsistencies, Hazard believes the unpredictability of the English top flight — which has recently seen Bournemouth win 3-0 at Stamford Bridge and relegation bat- tlers Swansea defeat both Arsenal and Liverpool — is what makes it such an attractive competition.
“That’s why we love football — if there is only one team that wins it would be boring. That’s why football is special,” the midfielder added.
“You never know what’s going to happen, especially in England.”
Former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique and Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone have both been linked with Conte’s job.
It is understood there was no board meeting on Tuesday to discuss the manager’s future and the club’s position remains unchanged. WEST Brom striker Jay Rodriguez said he is “in disbelief ” after the Football Association charged him over his clash with Brighton’s Gaetan Bong.
The one-cap England international has been accused by Bong of using racist language towards him in the January 13 Premier League match at the Hawthorns.
Rodriguez would face a minimum five-match ban if the case against him is proven but the 28-year-old former Burnley and Southampton player believes he should have already been cleared.
Footage of the incident at the centre of the allegation shows Rodriguez and Bong arguing and bumping into each other.
Rodriguez then holds his nose and waves his hand as if to gesture Bong smells.
Bong immediately complained to referee Martin Atkinson who included the incident in his report, and the defender told French television channel SFR Sport that Rodriguez’s comment was “racist in nature”.
But news of the FA charge yesterday was followed by Rodriguez writing on Twitter: “Absolutely gutted and in disbelief at the situation I find myself in. I 100% deny the false allegation and will take the correct legal advice to prove my innocence.”
The FA said he was charged with using “abusive and/or insulting words which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race”.
Rodriguez has until February 16 to formally respond to the charge, and West Brom have pledged to stand by him.
The Baggies’ director of football administration Richard Garlick said: “As a club we remain fully supportive and committed to backing Jay throughout this process.”
Cameroonian defender Bong posted a since-deleted comment on his own Twitter feed after the match against West Brom, writing: “Some words should not be said on a football field.”