My time to shine Hazard sounds warning to Barca
Belgian’s credentials will be tested against Messi Conte calls for ‘perfect’ Chelsea in Barca clash
Eden Hazard has warned Barcelona that it is his time to shine in the Champions League, as head coach Antonio Conte considers giving the Belgian the responsibility of trying to fire Chelsea towards the quarterfinals.
Conte could start Hazard as a “false nine” at Stamford Bridge for tonight’s last-16 first-leg clash, ahead of Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud, who are still short of full match fitness.
Conte had not confirmed his team last night and was still considering his options, but Hazard is Chelsea’s form man and the player Barcelona fear most.
He has netted three times in six Champions League games this season and is the club’s top scorer in all competitions with 15 goals. He would further enhance his reputation throughout Europe by adding to that tally against Barcelona.
Hazard’s Premier League pedigree has never been in doubt, but the 27-year-old is keen now truly to announce himself against Europe’s best. “Every game I try and play my best football,” said Hazard. “Last year, we didn’t play Champions League, but this year we are back and I played a few good games: Atletico Madrid away, Roma, here against Madrid. You want to shine when you play the best in the world. If I want to reach that level, I need to play a great game.”
Despite often being compared to, and judged against, Lionel Messi, Hazard has gone head-to-head against the Argentine on only one previous occasion – for Belgium in the 2014 World Cup – and lost. “It’s good to be compared with the greatest ever, Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo,” said Hazard. “But I’m completely different. We play in a different league. I try to do my job and try to reach their level because they are the best in the world. Every season I try and do my best.
“When we play these kinds of games, we need to perform. If you want to be one of the best, you have to play well in the big games. This is a big game. Let’s go for it and try to give everything.”
A goal or match-winning performance would inevitably prompt more speculation linking Hazard to Barcelona’s rivals Real Madrid.
“I play for Chelsea now for six years,” said Hazard. “Like you say, I have two years left on my contract. I’m happy here, my family is happy here. Now I’m just focused on the game against Barcelona to the end of the season. I don’t think much about the future because you never know what happens. I’m thinking about the game, that’s it.”
Messi has not scored in eight appearances against Chelsea and the London club are unbeaten against Barcelona in seven meetings, having last lost to them at Stamford Bridge in 2005-06.
It was also Messi who missed a decisive penalty in the 2012 semi-final second leg, which Chelsea progressed from and went on to win the final against Bayern Munich.
The Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic said: “We know Leo hasn’t had much luck against Chelsea in the past, but this is a different game. We have to move on.
“Leo works very hard. He’s obviously been in the gym a lot in recent years, looking after himself. We train hard every day, giving 100 per cent, and we need him a lot.”
Morata has played only 49 minutes of first-team football in five weeks due to pain in his back, while Giroud had been out with a hamstring injury before joining Chelsea and has so far played 157 minutes for the club over three games.
Together with the fact he is without midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, that has led to Conte looking at the possibility of playing with an energetic front three of Pedro, Hazard in the middle and Willian.
Conte admitted he had been up at night agonising over how to prepare for the visit of Barcelona and claimed his side would have to play a “perfect” game.
“I must be honest, it was a bit difficult to sleep – to sleep well,” said Conte. “When you have to play this type of game, you have to prepare.
“We have a plan in our heads. I think that, in this specific moment, it’s very important to pick the players who are at the top of their form and then try and do our best to win the game.
“For sure, we have to play a perfect game if we want to win. You start these two games with one favourite and this is Barcelona. I think that they earned the right to be the favourites this season for what they have been doing for many years in football in the world.
“But, for this reason, I think we must be excited. These two games will be very important to understand which is our level in this competition. It won’t be easy and we must be prepared to suffer. But, at the same time, we must be excited.”