Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri has claimed that while Eden Hazard is a game changer and an important cog to the team, but is not a leader.
The coach said this in the wake of the Blues’ disappointing defeat to London rivals Arsenal where he said that his players are difficult to motivate.
With a match against Tottenham on the horizon, Sarri was asked about the team and leadership and while he called on the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta and David Luiz as leaders in the team, he said Hazard was not there.
“He’s more of an individual player than a leader,” Sarri said. “He’s very important for us, of course, because he’s a great player. He can win a match in two minutes, sometimes one minute.
“He is one of the best in the world, but at this moment he is not a leader.”
The Belgian has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid and he is yet to commit to a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking on the topic, Sarri said: “No, no news. I know very well that he is discussing with the club, but I don’t know anything else at the moment.
“I think that he has not decided yet if he wants to stay here or if he wants a new experience in another club. I don’t know exactly the situation, but I think that Eden, at the moment, doesn’t know the final choice.”
Sarri is confident that the team will get back to form.
“I think we need to react on the pitch. The rest is nothing.
“We discussed with the players how to try to improve the approach, the motivation, the determination. And so we are trying to change something in training, in pre-match, in everything.
“But I think we all have to react on the pitch, of course.”