Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard has revealed his regret for playing a part in Jose Mourinho’s downfall in west London, admitting he wants to 'work again' with the Portuguese boss.
Months after winning a third Premier League title with the Blues in 2014/15, Mourinho was given the boot after a dreadful title defence as a number of key players appeared to down tools.
Hazard, who was the Premier League’s Player of the Season in that title-winning season, admits he was one of the stars at fault and he reached out to apologise to his former manager, now at Manchester United.
“In 12 years I've only had one bad season - the last six months under Mourinho and it was partly my own fault,” Hazard told Belgian publication HLN.
“After the title, we asked Mourinho for extra holidays. I came back totally out of shape.
“Mourinho's image of an extremely defensive coach isn't completely right. He is far from adventurous like [Pep] Guardiola, but the season in which we became champions, we made many goals and played good games.
“The last season under Mourinho was not enjoyable. We didn't win, we got into a sort of routine, training without having fun, it was better for all parties that we parted ways.”
Read: Premier League sack race, including Jose Mourinho's odds of being given the boot at Manchester United
Hazard has been discussing his Chelsea future recently after failing to secure a summer move to Real Madrid.
The 27-year-old, who has started the season in red-hot form with eight goals and three assists in 10 games (all competitions), this week reiterated his ‘dream’ to move to the Bernabeu.
Maurizio Sarri seems to be doing the right things with Hazard since replacing Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge, but it is former Real manager Mourinho who stands out as a mentor during Hazard’s career.
The forward added: “If I'm asked now about one coach with whom I want to work again, I would say Mourinho.
“I don't regret many things in my career, but that I have not been able to work with Mourinho at Chelsea anymore is one of them.
“We had a team that could win more trophies. We just ended up in a negative cycle.
“I sent him a message to say I was sorry he had gone and that I was sorry. We'd enjoyed all that success together, but this time we hadn't.
“I felt a little bit guilty because I'd been Player of the Year. I'd been one of the most decisive players, and then I performed less.”
Eden Hazard 2018/19 specials (via Sky Bet)
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