Chelsea have squad depth for Champions League – Hazard

Eden Hazard insists Chelsea have the squad to compete in all competitions, after the club missed out on Deadline Day deals.

Chelsea wrapped up the late signings of midfielder Danny Drinkwater and defender Davide Zappacosta before the transfer window closed last week.

Fernando Llorente opted to join rivals Tottenham over Chelsea, though, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain preferred a move to Liverpool. Everton midfielder Ross Barkley also made a U-turn on a switch to the Blues.


But Hazard believes Chelsea have the strength in depth to balance their title ambitions with a Champions League campaign.

“I think this year will be no different from the previous years, in the sense that every year it is difficult – especially when you play in many competitions,” Hazard told the Daily Mail.

“This year we have the Champions League as well and it is not easy to succeed in multiple competitions. But we will do our best and we have got depth in our squad so sometimes maybe one or two players can rest so they are 110 per cent for the next competition.

“We just want to win as many trophies as possible, for me personally I haven’t won the Champions League so maybe that one would be a little bit more special, but I would prefer us to win everything.”

Hazard is yet to feature for Chelsea this season following an ankle injury which ruled him out for three months, but played in both of Belgium’s World Cup Qualifiers this week.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte admitted he was surprised by Hazard’s call-up to the squad, having played just 74 minutes of an Under-23 match this season.

Hazard has spoken of his good relationship with Conte, though, and believes the Blues boss is among the world’s best.

“I have a good relationship with all my managers,” said Hazard. “You know we train every day together and we can talk together and laugh together. So yes absolutely we have a good relationship, I wouldn’t say ‘friends’ because it is difficult to be friends with your manager so I wouldn’t say that but we have a good relationship.”

Hazard added: “I think we have got one of the best managers in the world. So we are really happy with him.”