Eden Hazard has asked for bigger shinpads, reveals Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho

  • Eden Hazard was fouled nine times during Chelsea's clash with PSG
  • The winger has been fouled on 74 occasions in the Premier League
  • Chelsea take on Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 

By Neil Ashton for the Daily Mail

Published: 17:33 EST, 20 February 2015 | Updated: 19:33 EST, 20 February 2015

Jose Mourinho claims Eden Hazard has asked a shin pad manufacturer to come up with a product to protect his entire lower leg because he is being targeted by opposition defenders.

Hazard was fouled nine times in Chelsea’s Champions League clash at Paris St Germain on Tuesday and is the Barclays Premier League’s most fouled player.

The winger has been fouled 74 times in the top flight - 14 more than Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling - as he prepares to face Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. 

Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard was fouled nine times during Tuesday's Champions League clash with PSG 

Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard was fouled nine times during Tuesday's Champions League clash with PSG 

Hazard shouts out in pain after being fouled at the Parc des Princes during Chelsea's 1-1 draw in France

Hazard shouts out in pain after being fouled at the Parc des Princes during Chelsea's 1-1 draw in France

SUPER STAT 

102 The number of times Hazard has been fouled in Premier League and Champions League games this season - more than any other player.

Mourinho said: ‘Eden has asked me to speak with some friends of mine who make carbon shin-pads. He wants one that covers the whole leg. Like a horse.

‘Normally, if you get 100 fouls, the opponents will get a certain percentage of yellow cards.

‘So if he is the most fouled player he should be the player creates more cards in the opponent. But he isn’t.’ 

Mourinho is convinced the forward, who has signed a new five year contract worth £200,000 a week, is being deliberately targeted at home and abroad.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims Hazard has asked for larger shinpads to protect his entire lower leg

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims Hazard has asked for larger shinpads to protect his entire lower leg

The Chelsea chief added: ‘There are fouls and there are accumulations of fouls and there are fouls that are strategy and the referees have to understand exactly that. Sometimes little fouls are big fouls in the context of the game.

‘For example, and there are many of them in the world of football, there are players who are a specialist in stopping counter attacks.

‘The team loses the ball, he makes the foul. It is a small foul but it stops the counter attack. And I think Eden is punished in both ways.

‘If you see the game in Paris he had nine fouls. But three of them were very bad fouls. Very dangerous fouls. And nothing.’

 

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