Eden Hazard wants Chelsea to improve ahead of season opener

Hazard is expected to lead Chelsea’s title charge

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard calls for an improvement from his Chelsea team mates ahead of the season opener against Burnley. Chelsea were given a wake up call when they were thrashed 3-0 in their latest pre-season friendly against Werder Bremen.

Head coach Jose Mourinho might have blamed the referee for the debacle, but Hazard knows that his team has to step up before the real challenge begins. He came in as a second half substitute and couldn’t prevent his team from losing.

It was also Hazard’s first match of the new season after joining the squad. He had earlier stated on his arrival that he had no intentions to leave Chelsea and would love to win titles with the Blues. After the game he highlighted the importance of getting some game time after a holiday.

“I don’t know what we learned but we try to improve and be ready for the first game,” said Hazard. “It was difficult against Bremen, pre-season always is, but we will see after two weeks. We played against a small team and they tried to give 100 per cent against Chelsea. For them it is always important.

“I’m happy to be back on the pitch with the team. I tried to give my best but it was my first minutes and it was difficult. I hope the next game will be better. For one month I was on holiday [after the World Cup], I didn’t think about football but now I’m back. It’s important to win [the remaining friendlies] and do our best to be ready for the first game,” he said.

Apart from Hazard, his Belgium compatriot Thibaut Courtois also played his first match for the Blues after spending three seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid. Mourinho already showed some concern regarding the players who joined late because of the World Cup, and now he would be looking to sharpen certain areas with Chelsea set to play two more friendlies before the new season begins.

We lose our first pre-season friendly 3-0, positives coming in the form of valuable minutes for Courtois, Drogba and Hazard. #CFCLive

— Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) August 3, 2014