Mateo Kovacic has praised Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard admitting he didn’t know how good the forward was until lining up alongside him.
The 24-year-old Croatian midfielder is presently enjoying a season-long loan at Stamford Bridge from Real Madrid.
A near-ever present under Maurizio Sarri, the Austria-born footballer is in the perfect place to study Hazard and what he’s seen has taken him by surprise.
“Really good. I didn’t know he’s so good,” he told reporters (via Evening Standard).
“Obviously I knew that he is a great player. But now, when I see him playing with us every day, every week, he is just incredible.
“For me, in this moment, one of the three best players in the world.
“I am enjoying with him, with other players, because the team is really amazing, talented, and I think we can do great things this season.”
Hazard is currently joint-top scorer in the Premier League, having scored five goals in five games and will be looking to add to his tally when Chelsea take on West Ham United on Sunday.
40+ goals and Golden Boot target
Kovacic isn’t alone in singing Hazard’s praises. His manager Sarri is expecting big things of the mercurial Belgian forward this season.
Sarri, who took over the reins at the west London club this summer, has backed Hazard to reach 40 goals in all competitions.
Such a landmark would the most Hazard has achieved in a single season. His best to date came with 22 goals across 49 appearances for Lille in 2011/12, his final campaign with the French outfit.
Hazard’s most productive season for the Blues, in terms of goals, was 2014/15 when he bagged 19 goals in 52 matches.
“We have spoken and I told him he can score 40 goals,” he said (via BBC Sport).
“He has to improve some things, but he can do it.”
The post Mateo Kovacic surprised by how good Golden Boot-chasing Eden Hazard is appeared first on Squawka News.
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