Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri's style doesn't work for this player - Guillem Balague

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri's style doesn't work for this player - Guillem Balague

That’s according to journalist Guillem Balague, who doesn’t think Hazard is showing he can adapt to the Italian’s system.

Sarri has come under serious scrutiny at Chelsea this season.

The 60-year-old looked to be on his way out of Stamford Bridge after 4-0 and 6-0 hammerings away at Bournemouth and Manchester City were followed up with an FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester United, but a spirited performance in their Carabao Cup final penalty shootout defeat by City and a 2-0 win over Tottenham has lifted some pressure from his shoulders.

However, Balague believes one of Sarri’s main problems is the form of Hazard - who has tailed off since scoring seven goals in his first eight games of the season.

“When you sign Sarri, you know what you’re getting,” he said on his Youtube channel.

“If you believe that he’s your leader, you should help him by getting the players that can suit that style.

“We still haven’t seen that from Chelsea. Let’s see if they actually believe in him and this summer bring not just one Jorginho but more players that can suit him.

“The problem partly has been Hazard, in the sense that [he] doesn’t work fully in the Sarri style.

“And he has recognised that, Sarri has recognised that from the beginning.

“Hazard is very individualistic, but at the same time with a lot of quality. So the coach has to decide if you play around him, and Sarri doesn’t wanna do that, he wants a whole collective effort out there, but if that’s the case can Hazard adapt to Sarri? And at the moment we’re not seeing consistent signs of that either.

“So that has been one of the problems.’"

There were high hopes for Sarri in west London after he turned Napoli into one of the most exciting sides in European football.

So far, though, the former bank manager has struggled to make his mark in England

Yet, Balague doesn’t believe the Premier League is massively different to Italy’s Serie A.

“When we talk about misjudging the Premier League, it suggests that the Premier League is such a different competition to any out there that unless you just change completely and become a Premier League manager - you won’t concede,” he said.

“Well [Antonio] Conte or Pep Guardiola will tell you differently. And I think Sarri as well.

“It’s 11 versus 11, there is more intensity, yes, there is less control, yes, referees have got a huge amount of influence, yes - but the Premier League is not that special in that sense.”