Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has been backed by team-mate Pedro to reach the same level as world’s
best player Lionel Messi, despite a disappointing 12 months at Stamford Bridge.
The Belgian had to wait until April to score his first Premier League goal in a stuttering season last
term, while Messi netted 41 times in 49 appearances in all competitions.
Despite his struggles, Pedro – who played alongside Messi at Barcelona – is convinced his Blues
team-mate can bounce back this term and reach new heights.
‘When it comes to Messi, we are talking about a player I believe is still the best in the world. He
really is on a different level to other players,’ Pedro told Standard Sport.
‘But Hazard is a very, very good player, you can see his technique is excellent and he has shown
everything at Chelsea.
‘He is still young, so he is going to continue improving to one day be among the very best in the
world.
‘It’s always going to be difficult to compete with a player of Lionel’s ability, but Eden has all the
qualities to do exactly that.
‘He has that ability and talent to stand out from the crowd, to make the difference and be decisive.
When you see him produce moments of magic, it is easy to draw comparisons with Messi.’