Chelsea legend Eden Hazard shows BLUES LOYALTY with Tottenham comment

During a conversation with former teammate John Obi Mikel on his podcast, Chelsea legend Eden Hazard acknowledged that clubs like Manchester City and Liverpool are currently outperforming Chelsea in the Premier League. However, when Mikel mentioned Tottenham Hotspur, Hazard mockingly dismissed their chances, stating, "No, no, Tottenham no. They play good football, yeah but you know Tottenham. As a Chelsea legend, you can't say that man." Mikel agreed, emphasizing that Tottenham is unlikely to win the league.

Tottenham has notably improved under Ange Postecoglou's leadership this season, currently occupying fifth place in the Premier League and trailing the top four by just two points. Despite an impressive start to the season, Spurs' title aspirations dwindled as they fell behind Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City. However, they maintain a 12-point lead over Chelsea in the league standings. Fortunately enough, Spurs' hopes for silverware were dashed after exits from both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

In contrast, Chelsea, under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino, has the opportunity to secure their first trophy as they face Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday, giving CFC something to celebrate about.

Eden Hazard on which manager got the best out of him in West London

In October, Hazard announced his retirement from football at the age of just 32, opting not to pursue a new club following the conclusion of his contract with Real Madrid. Before his challenging stint in Madrid, which was marred by injuries, the Belgian was widely acclaimed as one of the Premier League's premier talents during his tenure at Chelsea. During his seven highly successful seasons at Stamford Bridge, Hazard clinched two league titles and four additional trophies with the club, including the prestigious PFA Players' Player of the Year award for the 2014/15 campaign.

Although his standout season earning the PFA award came under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, Hazard revealed in an interview with former Chelsea teammate John Obi Mikel on The Obi One Podcast that he believed Antonio Conte was the manager who got the best performances from him throughout his illustrious career. Hazard attributed this to Conte's demanding training regime, which instilled in him a determination to relish the freedom he experienced on matchdays.

"All the week training. I was going out Saturday, I need to enjoy a little bit because I know the day after is going to be back on the training ground. I have to do something, it's my only 90 minutes I can enjoy. 

"You remember him, stopping, tactics, [to Mikel] 'no we have to do that'. Saturday was the best day for me."

Thank you Drogba?

After an impressive breakthrough at Lille, the then-21-year-old Belgian joined Chelsea in a £32 million deal, ultimately becoming a club legend at Stamford Bridge with two Premier League titles, two Europa League trophies, an FA Cup, and a League Cup. However, this trajectory might not have unfolded if it weren't for one crucial night.

On The Obi One Podcast, Hazard recounted how his departure from Lille transpired: "I had a chat with Sir Alex Ferguson. I spoke with Harry Redknapp, at that time he was the manager in Tottenham. I went to Manchester to see the Man City training ground. "So I had a few options, but not Chelsea because the last year in Lille, Chelsea in the league was not that good. 

"You know when you [John Obi Mikel] won the Champions League, in the league you were like sixth or seventh, I don't remember. 

"I knew I was leaving France to go to the Premier League but not Chelsea, because I wanted to play in the Champions League, you know? So that move came because you won the Champions League."

When Mikel asked if he would have chosen Chelsea without their Champions League victory, Hazard responded, "Ah my friend, Chelsea was like far away. That's why I say thank you to Drogba!" Drogba's decisive penalty in the Champions League final shootout secured Chelsea's first-ever title in the competition, prompting Hazard to announce his move to Chelsea on Twitter shortly thereafter, stating, "I'm signing for the Champions League winner."

Hazard went on to make 352 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 110 goals and providing 92 assists, earning praise as one of the most talented players in the club's history and winning numerous individual accolades during his seven-year tenure.

Shortly thereafter, Hazard announced his next move on Twitter, declaring, "I am signing for the Champions League winner" and the rest is history. Drogba's winning spot-kick against Bayern Munich ultimately altered Hazard's career trajectory, leading him to become a Chelsea icon.

Where do you rank Eden Hazard amongst CFC greats?