Eden Hazard has looked back on what he describes as “really bad” clashes with Jose Mourinho during his time at Chelsea, admitting the relationship broke down in the manager’s final season at Stamford Bridge.
Hazard, who played under Mourinho during the Portuguese coach’s second spell in charge, said the tension became clear when results started to go against the team. The Belgian explained that the situation turned personal at times, with Mourinho making his feelings known in direct terms.
“He said it was my fault,” Hazard recalled, speaking about how Mourinho singled him out during that difficult period. Hazard accepted responsibility for parts of what happened, but made clear the exchanges between player and coach were not minor disagreements.
The former Chelsea forward said the clashes were “really bad” and came during a season when the atmosphere around the squad changed. He suggested that what had previously been a strong connection between manager and players was no longer there, and that the dressing room dynamics shifted as the campaign wore on.
Hazard was a key figure for Chelsea throughout his seven years at the club, winning major honours and establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s standout attackers. But he admitted that even at a successful club, the relationship between a star player and a manager can become strained when performances dip and pressure builds.
Mourinho’s second spell at Chelsea ended in December 2015, with Hazard and the rest of the squad having struggled for consistency in the months after winning the Premier League title the previous season. Hazard’s latest comments offer a frank insight into how difficult that period became behind the scenes, including the moment he was told directly that he was to blame.
