Chelsea will not entertain any offers for Eden Hazard this summer despite Jose Mourinho admitting frustration that the Belgium international is “not the kind of player ready to sacrifice himself 100 per cent for the team”.
Hazard was culpable in his failure to track the marauding full-back Juanfran in the buildup to Atlético Madrid’s equalising goal at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday as the London club departed the Champions League. The 23-year-old, who has drawn considerable praise over a season in which he has scored 17 goals, has attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain but will remain an integral part of this side as Mourinho seeks further evolution.
The Belgian had told French television after the loss to the Spanish that Chelsea “isn’t built to play [expansive] football, but is good on the counterattack”, a comment which was perceived as criticism of the manager’s defensive approach.
"Normally you get this kind of comment from players like him: from players who can't resolve a problem like we had with the first goal," said Mourinho. "Against Atletico in Madrid, Willian played on the left side and Ashley Cole was protected all game. Against Liverpool, [Andre] Schurrle played on the left and a dangerous player like Glen Johnson was completely under control.
Top level
"Eden is the kind of player who is not so mentally ready to look back at his left-back and leave his life for him. If you see Atletico's first goal, you understand where the mistake was and why we conceded that goal. The perfect team at the top level cannot make this kind of mistake. Eden's not the kind of player ready to sacrifice himself 100 per cent for the team and his team-mates. I'm not happy [a player doesn't sacrifice himself], and I've spoken all season and I've tried to improve him. But at the same time, his comments were not critical.
“He’s had a good season, and made an improvement,” said Mourinho. “He was brought to a different level of performance and understanding of the game. Remember the performance at Manchester City, which was a very complete performance. So I have no problem with him. He’s a young guy. His evolution was fine. “Does he still make mistakes? Of course he still makes mistakes. But he understands.
'Domestic title'
Yet there was an admission, too, from the manager that pragmatism had driven his own outlook over recent weeks as he chose to postpone the development of the team's style of play to ensure they met their objective of qualifying for next season's Champions League as well as staying in contention in the domestic title race. That switch was made in recognition of his own side's lack of a prolific goalscorer.
“I knew what I was doing,” said Mourinho. “At a certain moment of the season I made the decision to stop that evolution in the style and philosophy of play and went in the direction I felt was the only way, with these players, we could get results.
"I felt this Premier League – more than the Champions league – was so dangerous because of the risk for the big teams to be out of the top four. Reaching the top four in the Premier League at this moment - it's not a cup, I don't want to get a bonus for finishing top four, no way, no way . . . the moment I think like that I'm in trouble . . . but the reality is this Premier League is a big risk with the danger of being out of the top four. At a certain moment, if you don't go for a bit more stability and [instead] develop a certain philosophy, it's a big risk. The difference from being champions and outside the top four is a small difference."
Guardian Service
