I want to be the best, like I was two seasons ago: Hazard

Belgian winger netted just four times in the league last season as Chelsea failed to recapture Premier League title


Reuters July 28, 2016
PHOTO: REUTERS

BENGALURU, INDIA: Belgian winger Eden Hazard said on Thursday that he was eager to recapture the form he displayed in Chelsea’s title-winning 2014-15 campaign to help the club recover from the disappointments of last season and bring the Premier League trophy back to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea launched one of the worst defences of the league title in living memory last campaign, finishing 10th in the final table 31 points behind champions Leicester City.

“I want to be the best, like I was two seasons ago. I said -- after the season like this -- I wanted to stay at Chelsea because I didn’t want to finish like this,” Hazard told British media.

Chelsea sign Kante from Leicester

The winger’s 14 goals helped Chelsea become the English champions for the fifth time in 2015 and earned him England’s Footballer of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year awards.

The goals, however, dried up last season for the 25-year-old, who netted just four times in the league.

“We’ve got to show to everybody we are Chelsea, we’re big players, we’re a big team and we didn’t finish in a good place last season. Now we want to do better and win the Premier League. We need to do this,” said Hazard.

Falcao, Pato released by Chelsea

Hazard also said if he was to ever leave the west London club, it would only be as a Premier League champion.

“When I was in France (with Lille), I finished my last game with a hat-trick and that was a good time to leave. And if I must leave one day, I hope I can finish good here and be a champion again,” he said.

New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has already strengthened his squad with two big-money signings in striker Michy Batshuayi and midfielder N’Golo Kante.

Conte will begin his tenure in England with a London derby against West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on August 15.

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