Kepa Arrizabalaga and Eden Hazard were teammates at Chelsea in the 2018/19 campaign, so the Spanish goalkeeper got to see the Belgian’s wizardry on a daily basis.
However, injuries have hampered Hazard since he departed Stamford Bridge for Real Madrid last summer, but the 29-year-old remains a superstar in Kepa’s eyes, as he revealed during an interview with MARCA.
Let’s talk about Hazard, an ex-Chelsea man. Would you put him at the same table as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?
I don’t know if he’s up with them, because of the numbers both have put up for so many years, but it’s close. He’s a great player. The best Hazard has yet to be seen in LaLiga.
A lot of injuries…
Injuries come when they come. They can’t be controlled. Last year, with us, he barely had an injury. Hopefully, with health, we can enjoy him next season.
In Spain, you are always remembered for your possible move to Real Madrid in January 2018. How do you remember that?
It’s been a couple of years now. I was coming towards the end of my contract with Athletic [Club] and several big clubs became interested. It was a compliment that teams aiming to win the world’s top trophies were interested in me. But things happen when they have to happen. At that time, it didn’t happen and I’m comfortable with the decision I made to finally renew with Athletic.
For the first time in your career, you made the front pages. What did you learn?
It was a great way for me to grow up. It’s true that I was quite introverted; I didn’t want to listen or talk too much. Even my grandmother told me that she saw me more on the front pages than in person.
Do you think you should have come out and said something at that time?
There was so much talk… I decided not to talk until I had made up my mind. Once I had renewed, I went on record.
Do you believe the theory that Zinedine Zidane rejected you because of a report that said you were weak in the air?
I don’t know. I never heard that theory. I’m not aware of it, evidently.
Do you rule out ever going back to a big LaLiga Santnader team?
Now I’m very happy at a great club, Chelsea, which allows me to enjoy the Premier League.
Source:- All Football
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