Comparisons to Messi becoming more applicable for in form Eden Hazard

"I thought (Eden) Hazard was one of the best players in Europe, but now I am changing my mind that he is the best.”

Those were the words of Maurizio Sarri after the Belgian’s one man demolition job of Cardiff at the weekend, and while the Chelsea boss made the remark with a wry smile, the Belgian is staking a claim to be considered among the elite.

Some may say the reaction was strong given the opposition, but Hazard shone on the grandest stage of all over the summer, making his mark on the World Cup in Russia to captain his country to a third placed finish. Indeed,  the 27-year-old secured the highest WhoScored.com rating at the tournament (8.51) having scored three times and registered two assists, while completing at least eight more dribbles than closest rival Kylian Mbappe (40).

Up to and inculding his strike in the bronze medal match with England, Hazard has now had a direct hand in at least one goal in his last eight appearances for club and country. His hat-trick at the weekend ensured that no player has had a direct hand in more goals in Europe’s top five leagues at the start of this season, with five goals and two assists despite starting two of his five appearances thus far on the substitutes bench.

The Belgian also leads the Premier League for dribbles (18) having only played 68.2 per cent of the minutes available to him, and has had a direct hand in a goal every 44 minutes on average. Such remarkable figures will no doubt prove unsustainable, but there is still reason to believe that this could well be Hazard’s most devastating season since making the move to Stamford Bridge back in 2011.

In a complete reverse of the wishes of former boss Jose Mourinho, Sarri has intimated that he wants the forward to focus less of his energy outside of the final third, stating “I think Hazard can improve more. I think that he can spend less energy than now at 50 or 60 metres to the opposite goal.”

Having worked wonders with compatriot Dries Mertens at Napoli, converting the former winger into a prolific centre-forward, we could see a more central role for the Blues’ star man, particularly given the struggles of Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud.

Therefore, while it’s perhaps been unreasonable to compare the Belgium skipper with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the past, that may be about to change. As he begins to operate further up the pitch, Sarri will be hoping Hazard smashes his previous best return of 16 goals in a Premier League season (2016/17), in the process beating his best season when combining assists to his own strikes (23 in 2014/15).

If he can do that, while maintaining an ability to beat a man in tight situations that perhaps only the aforementioned Messi can better, Hazard could yet live up to his manager’s billing as Europe’s best.

He may have wanted a move to Real Madrid to materialise over the summer, but in Maurizio Sarri he may have inherited a coach that can take him further than any other.