When a player scores a hat-trick in a Premier League game, he suddenly becomes a hot topic and for Eden Hazard, a player who has always been a trendy topic in the media, it gets better for him after weekends like the last.
Hazard grabbed three goals for Chelsea in their 4-1 over Cardiff in the Premier League with his last goal being discussed by one of his former teammates, Asmir Begovic.
Now goalkeeper at Bournemouth, Begovic reveals how difficult it was to save Hazard’s penalty kicks in training during his time as a Chelsea player. Hazard scored his third goal to seal only his second hat trick in his Chelsea career, with a deft run and shot at goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.
Begovic says even though he tried as much to save Hazard’s penalties, he saved only two of them and reveals the reason the former Lille star is so successful in penalties is the power he generates in such a short run-up to the kick.
“I certainly tried my best (to save them). I’ve saved a couple here and there. He has a very, very short run up. He can go either side and even if you wait for him until the absolute last second, he has very good pace.
He can generate a lot of power on the ball. So even if you wait and go the right way, he’s placed it beyond you. When he’s on it, when he wants to do what he wants properly, then it’s very difficult to save.”
Asmir Begovic, Daily Star
