

‘He has become very effective when he has the ball because he is always producing something, maybe a goal or a pass or an assist for a team-mate. It is good to see that because I always regarded him as a very good player. Sometimes I said the day he uses these qualities better he would become a much better player, so I am delighted he is going the right way, and I believe there is a lot more to come.’

Those were Gianfranco Zola’s words about Eden Hazard when we asked two of our greatest-ever superstars a similar set of questions in May.

Their answers were published on this website in the wake of Hazard’s 300th Chelsea appearance, which he marked with an FA Cup final-winning goal at Wembley. Just a couple of months later, as fate would have it, Zola returned to the club he made such a legendary impact at as a member of Maurizio Sarri’s backroom staff.

Hazard said back in May he had seen some of the Italian’s best work for the Blues, but he didn’t know ‘lots and lots’ about him. That has all changed in the second half of 2018.

‘For us as players it is a privilege to work with him,’ Hazard says of Zola the coach.

‘He has helped the players a lot. We knew this guy was a legend, not just with Chelsea but in football. I know he used to play not exactly like me, but we have similar abilities.