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Why can Eden Hazard get away with challenging Roman Abramovich?

Eden Hazard celebrates scoring the only goal of Saturday's FA Cup final - Getty Images Europe
Eden Hazard celebrates scoring the only goal of Saturday's FA Cup final - Getty Images Europe

It was the ultimate act of player power and yet nobody at Chelsea flinched after Eden Hazard revealed he would wait for the club to sign “good players” before deciding his future.

There are not many who could get away with challenging owner Roman Abramovich in such a way, but Hazard is undoubtedly a special case at Stamford Bridge.

He and Chelsea both know the club cannot afford to lose him. He is the stardust, the man the sponsors love, the player who can elevate the rest of the team to a different level – as he showed again in his 300th Blues appearance as Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 at Wembley.

It is why the fear that Hazard could look to leave Stamford Bridge if Antonio Conte stays for the final year of his contract is a major factor in a decision over the managerial situation that should now be made imminently.

If it is a choice between Conte and Hazard, then the Italian goes. And there would be more than a passing thought given to whether or not any potential successor would please the Belgian.

Hazard  - Credit: AFP
Hazard cooly tucks away a penalty at Wembley Credit: AFP

With Chelsea unable to outspend the rivals these days, Hazard is simply irreplaceable.

Despite challenging him in public on a few occasions, Jose Mourinho was well aware of Hazard’s importance during his second spell at the club. That is why the Portuguese would tell his star man his transfer plans while others were left in the dark.

Conte is not the type to indulge any player to that degree and it became an issue when he asked Hazard to sacrifice himself in the false nine position earlier in the season, and then questioned his commitment in private.

Hazard plays best when he has a smile on his face and for weeks after the limp 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, he went missing. He was constantly taken off in games and looked far from happy.

Chelsea have already lost Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Romelu Lukaku in recent years and cannot allow similar scenario to play out with Hazard. They must at least fight to keep him.

Fortunately, Conte has since let Hazard loose in a position just off Olivier Giroud and the improvement in the 27-year-old’s performances has been stark.

It is not just his talent on the pitch that makes Hazard such a popular figure in the corridors of power at Stamford Bridge. His uncomplicated personality is hugely appreciated.

Antonio Conte - Credit: REUTERS
Hazard's future could depend on Antonio Conte Credit: REUTERS

Hazard does not have an agent or a pushy PR team and simply drove himself to the meeting in which he signed his last big contract with the club.

There is an appreciation that he could easily have agitated to move after the 10th place finish a couple of years ago, as Diego Costa and others did, but Hazard was happy to stay and help the react positively.

While goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois throws out regular hints and suggestions that he wants to return to Spain, Hazard has remained far more respectful on his situation.

He knows Real Madrid have toyed with the idea of signing him for many years and yet he has always maintained that he is happy with his life in London.

Chelsea are well aware that a big offer from Real may be too much for Hazard to turn down, but they are also confident he would never push to join a Premier League rival – no matter how highly Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola might rate him.

The contract worth in excess of £300,000-a-week that has been waiting for Hazard’s signature for almost a year may well have gone up by a few digits after he showed Phil Jones a clean pair of heels.

Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard controls the ball late in the English FA Cup final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley stadium in London on May 19, 2018 - Credit: AFP
Hazard breaks clear down the Chelsea left Credit: AFP

Jones could only hack him down and Hazard got up to take the coolest of penalties and beat arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, David De Gea.

Gareth Southgate will not have liked to see how easily Hazard beat Jones as he plots England’s path through Group G, in which they will face Belgium.

But it was just another example of why Hazard, who Mourinho tried to man mark out of the game with Ander Herrera, is a cut above and can make demands of his club.

Herrera could not keep up with Hazard for much of the game and Antonio Valencia was booked for hacking him down one too many times. It was the only way to stop him.

It may not be appreciated by the purists, but Chelsea should listen to Hazard and make the summer about keeping him happy. If they don’t, then whoever the manager is will have the toughest of jobs on his hands.

The verdict

Moment that changed the match: As soon as Phil Jones found himself on the wrong side of Eden Hazard, he had no chance. Jose Mourinho’s game plan revolved around trying to stop Hazard and by the 22nd minute it had been undone.

Most influential player: Eden Hazard. He won the penalty, scored the penalty and was comfortably the best player on the pitch. As Chelsea sat deeper and deeper, Hazard continued to keep the United defence on their toes. Gary Cahill was also superb.

Crowd rating:8/10. The FA Cup is still a big day for the supporters and both sets of fans joined in the superb tributes to Ray Wilkins.

Referee rating: Michael Oliver 8/10. Chelsea wanted Phil Jones sent off for the foul that resulted in the penalty, but Oliver got it spot on by booking the defender.

Match rating: 7/10. This wasn’t a classic, but it was tense and well fought.